Genma's Daughter
by ClassicalGal
Summary: When Ranma meets his mother for the first time, he learns the shocking truth about his family.
1. Chapter 1: Ranma

Genma's Daughter

By ClassicalGal

Original concept and parts of chapter 1 by Nesin Evets

Chapter 1: Ranma

This story uses a mixture of Japanese and English terms of address.

I'd like to express my deep appreciation to my prereaders: Nesin Evets (of course), Jamie McLeod, Zen, and Nightelf. They made "Genma's Daughter" far better than it would otherwise have been.

* * *

The sun beat down upon the panda that lounged next to the pond, fanning itself with a wooden signboard. Saotome Genma, master of the Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts, was downhearted. It was too hot today to stay outside as a panda, but it was far too dangerous to stay inside right now. Genma rolled off his back and onto his feet, then waddled slowly into the cool water of the pond. He sat on his haunches in the middle of the pond and idly chewed a bamboo shoot.

On the porch he could see the reason for his exile from the house. Souun was sitting at the table, sipping tea and chatting with the woman who sat opposite him. The woman was in her late thirties, but looked years younger. Her dark copper hair was bound tightly into a bun, and she wore an elegant kimono, decorated with flower blossoms.

Genma sighed. Even after twelve long years away, Nodoka's face still haunted his dreams—and his nightmares. Now, to have to sit and watch his wife from hiding tore at his soul. Of course, it would be much, much worse if Nodoka were to actually discover him and his son. He was just glad that Ranma was still at school when Nodoka came calling. He'd have to take the boy on a nice, long training trip tomorrow.

Kasumi stepped into the room and placed a small tray of sweets on the table. Nodoka lowered her head as she asked Souun a question. Genma couldn't hear their conversation, but he saw Souun shake his head slowly. Nodoka reached down to the wrapped bundle which lay at her feet and clutched it in her lap, then lowered her head to her chest. Genma was so busy staring at his wife that he missed Souun glaring at him.

Suddenly, from the street outside the gate, Genma heard the pounding of feet and the usual cacophony of shouts and insults which followed Ranma around. _Let the boy be a boy, let the boy be a boy_, he chanted mentally. Heaven help him if Nodoka saw Ranma in his girl-form.

Suddenly Ranma bounced over the wall, her pigtail fluttering in the wind as she flew through the air. As she landed she swung her body about swiftly, her right foot cutting through the air to catch Kunou as he appeared over the wall, his body stretched out in mid-glomp. Caught by Ranma's kick, Kunou was launched heavenward, out cold.

Snorting at the kendoist's flight, Ranma turned towards the house, ignoring the panda in the pond. She pulled her shirt up and twisted it out, trying to remove at least some of the water which had thoroughly soaked it. Mumbling, she stepped up on the porch and headed towards the stairs.

"Ranko?"

Ranma continued towards the stairs, ignoring the stranger who was speaking to Souun. The woman stood and walked quickly to the door of the room, and watched as Ranma climbed the stairs.

"Ranko?" the woman asked again, her voice trembling.

Ranma paused and turned to look down at the woman. She was standing at the bottom of the stairs now, staring up at Ranma with desperate hope in her eyes. Ranma shifted her weight uncomfortably, fidgeting under the woman's unnerving gaze. Behind the stranger, Ranma could see that her pop had entered the house and was busy flashing her signs telling her not to talk to the crazy woman.

Ignoring her father, Ranma spoke. "Sorry, lady. My name ain't Ranko. It's Ranma."

The woman looked at Ranma carefully before speaking. "Are you the daughter of Saotome Genma?"

Ranma shifted her weight again. She didn't like to lie, but it was probably easier to just say yes than to try and explain about the curse. "Well, yeah, I'm his kid," Ranma answered cautiously.

Suddenly the woman surged up the stairs and grabbed Ranma, holding her tightly and sobbing softly. Ranma found to her surprise that she was comforted by the close contact. She couldn't even remember the last time someone had held her like this. Unsure of what to do, she held her arms stiffly at her sides and tried to pull away from the woman. "Umm… do I know you? Pop didn't promise you I'd marry your… uhhh, son or anything, did he?"

The woman looked down at Ranma and ran a hand across her cheek, cupping Ranma's chin. "Don't you remember me?"

Ranma shook her head; the woman looked hurt by her answer. She looked deeply into Ranma's eyes, and gathered herself before she spoke. "I'm Saotome Nodoka, Ranko. I'm your mother."

Ranma looked closely at the woman as her mind struggled to take it all in. "M-mother?"

Nodoka nodded and hugged Ranma again. Ranma, though still somewhat uncomfortable with the close contact, couldn't help responding. Tears trickled down Ranma's cheeks as she hugged her mother. "Mom," she whispered. She felt strangely moved; it felt as if some missing part of her life had finally been restored. Ranma noticed that her father was scurrying out of the house with his pack in hand, but was too shocked by meeting her mother to do anything about it.

Nodoka cradled her child's face and kissed her forehead before pulling her into another tight hug. "Finally, after twelve long years, finally I've found you, my daughter." Nodoka combed Ranma's hair back with her fingers, a contented smile on her face.

Nodoka's words finally sank into Ranma's brain. "D-daughter? Don't you mean son?"

Nodoka looked curiously at the red-haired girl in front of her. "Ranko, you're my only child. Of course I mean daughter!"

Ranma's face was beginning to show panic. "But… but I'm a guy!"

"Ranko, that is not funny and no way for any daughter of mine to talk."

"But I'm a guy! I'm your son, not your daughter!"

Nodoka stared wide-eyed at the girl in front of her. _Kami-sama… she's not joking._ "Genma," she whispered, "what have you done?"

Ranma pulled away from Nodoka's relaxed grip and stumbled down the stairs. "Pop! Pop!" she screamed as she rushed for the door. Nodoka followed her slowly, still trying to make sense of Ranko's odd words. She heard another voice call out briefly in greeting, followed by a loud crash. Turning the corner towards the genkan, she saw her daughter sprawled face down on the floor with another girl about her age standing over her. The new girl was holding a hand to her head and grimacing.

"Ranma, you baka! Watch where you're going!"

On the floor, Ranma stirred and struggled to stand. The red-haired girl wobbled briefly and shook her head before she stumbled out the door with a lurch.

"Ranma! Where are you going? Aren't you even going to apologize to me?"

Nodoka, who had walked towards the two girls as Ranma had charged out the door, softly placed a hand on the new girl's shoulder. The girl turned around, her eyes meeting Nodoka's. "Akane-chan?"

Akane probed her head carefully, wondering if the knot was going to be very large. It was just like Ranma to run her down in the doorway and then leave her to face a complete stranger, who he was probably running away from anyway! She shook her head to clear the remaining cobwebs. "Yes, Ma'am?"

Nodoka searched Akane's eyes for some sign of recognition; there was none. The sound of footsteps in the hall behind her caused her to turn again. Souun stood there, Kasumi beside him. He started to speak, but apparently couldn't find the right words. He settled, instead, for successfully fighting back his ever-present tears.

Kasumi stepped forward to gently grasp both Nodoka's and Akane's arms. "Why don't we all go sit down and have a nice cup of tea? I'm sure Ranma will be back soon."

Nodoka nodded, bewildered, and allowed herself to be led back to the living room.

* * *

Noriko sighed as she turned the stroller into yet another path through the park. _Let's see_, she thought, _this makes the third time past the lake_. She peered into the depths of the stroller, and her one-month-old daughter Miki peered right back at her. The infant's face was bright, calm, and alert—and didn't show the slightest sign of being sleepy. Noriko sighed again, and wondered if she'd been drinking too much coffee. She turned her eyes to the path ahead, and kept walking. _At least I'll work off that pregnancy weight…_

Her eyes preceded her up the path, and stopped on a teenage girl sitting on a bench. The girl was dressed in some kind of Chinese clothing that seemed to be several sizes too large for her and was damp to boot. She looked like a little girl playing dress-up with clothes that were too big for her. Her fiery red hair, unusual for a Japanese, was tied back in a pigtail. She looked rather morose, and her chin rested on her chest. She'd been there the last two times past the lake, too.

Noriko and her daughter rolled up and stopped. If she was doomed to wander the park like the Flying Dutchman (Flying Mommy?) tonight, she might as well try to do something better than just kill time. This girl looked like she could use a friendly face.

"Hello," ventured Noriko. The teenager didn't respond. "Hello?"

The petite redhead looked up, revealing startling, clear blue eyes and a perfect mouth set in a delicate, classic face. The girl was simply beautiful, the kind of beauty that seemed warm and approachable rather than haughty and remote.

She looked over Noriko and the stroller, and seemed to shrink a bit. "Uhhh… Hi." She had a lovely soprano voice, but it seemed curiously flat for a girl.

"It's a nice evening, don't you think? A bit sticky."

The girl seemed distracted. "Yeah." She eyed the stroller again. "Takin' a walk?"

Noriko was taken aback; the girl's odd attire, loose posture, and rough, masculine speech made a jarring contrast with her looks and voice. She tried to collect herself. "Yes." She smiled and shrugged. "My new daughter doesn't want to go to sleep. My mother suggested walking her around in the stroller."

The girl seemed to grow more morose at Noriko's words; she didn't respond for a while. "Oh. Is it workin'?"

"Not at all." Noriko laughed, and the redhead managed a chuckle. "How about you?"

The teenager looked down again, and sounded dispirited. "I… I was lookin' for someone. Didn't find him. I looked everywhere, too." Her fine eyebrows knit in tension.

Noriko studied her carefully. "It sounds like you've been at it for quite a while."

The redhead nodded. "Two, three hours, at least." She raised her head again and looked around, seeming to notice the gathering darkness for the first time. "I guess it's gettin' late."

"Shouldn't you be getting home to your mother and father soon?"

The girl stiffened visibly, and closed her eyes for a moment. "Uhhhh… I guess. My mom and pop. Yeah."

Suspicion started to grow in Noriko's mind. "Are you going to be all right? You… you do have someplace to go, don't you?"

The teenager blinked in surprise. "Oh, yeah. I'll be fine. I… I live with the Tendous." She seemed to brighten as she mentioned the name, her lips relaxing into the hint of a smile.

Noriko relaxed, her worries dissipating. "I'm glad to hear that." She paused. "I know Kasumi-san; I see her sometimes at the market." She smiled; if this girl lived in Kasumi's household, then she was being cared for. Come to think of it, Kasumi had mentioned once that they had houseguests…

The girl was still sitting there, hunched over on the bench. "Is… something wrong?"

The redhead sighed. "Yeah." She straightened up a little. "But… sittin' here ain't gonna help. Guess… guess I oughta go home and deal with it." Her expression hardened. "Runnin' away ain't the answer." She stood up.

Noriko smiled. She seemed like a good girl, despite her rough manners. "That's the spirit."

The teenager smiled in gratitude. "Thanks, lady."

"Not at all. Whatever it is, dear, good luck." The girl smiled again, and headed off.

Noriko watched her leave. In contrast to the way she had sat on the bench, she walked gracefully, but with an odd gait that had a hint of the masculine about it. Her posture was erect even as her shoulders slumped in depression, and her feet almost danced and seemed not to touch the ground; she made no sound as she walked. It was a little eerie.

Noriko shook her head slowly; the girl seemed like a living, walking contradiction. She wondered if she'd encounter this pigtailed enigma again.

Daring to hope, she looked back to the stroller. Two tiny, alert eyes regarded her, and blinked once. She sighed in resignation as her own shoulders slumped, and she wearily started to roll the stroller down the path once more. She wondered who was going to be the first to pass out.

She was halfway to the lake when she stopped short. Hadn't Kasumi said it was a boy and his father who were staying with them?

* * *

Ranma slipped back over the wall of the dojo, trying to keep her damp shirt from sticking to her chest. Even in the warm, humid summer evenings, a wet shirt rubbing against her chest was too much of a reminder of the curse. Her clothes had been thoroughly soaked that afternoon, and chasing after her father had left her no time to dry off.

As she walked towards the house, she could hear voices. Peering across the pond into the living room, she saw Souun, Akane, and Kasumi sitting at the table with the woman who had grabbed her that afternoon.

In the pit of her stomach Ranma felt the queasy, bubbly sensation that only seemed to occur when her life was about to get worse. Given that the old panda had just run out on her, she had no doubt that one of his schemes was falling apart, and was most likely about to explode in her face.

Gritting her teeth, she quietly entered the kitchen. On the stove she found the kettle of warm water Kasumi kept for her, and prepared to pour it over her head. She would face this like a man, if nothing else.

When Ranma stepped into the living room from the kitchen, all eyes turned towards him. Souun was the first to speak. "Did you find him, Ranma?"

Shaking his head, Ranma sat at the table in his usual spot, next to Akane. "No, he had too much of a lead." Sensing Akane's glare, he turned and stared back. She was probably still mad about the butting heads thing. "But I would'a caught him if you hadn't been hoggin' the doorway, Akane!"

Akane's face darkened. "I was not hogging the doorway! And you should watch where you're going!" Ranma stuck his tongue out at her, and suffered the slap to the back of his head in silence.

Souun's cough brought their attention back to him. "Ranma, I would like to introduce you to Saotome Nodoka."

Ranma looked at the woman in question. This afternoon she had claimed to be his mother. Or rather, _her_ mother. That meant she couldn't be his mother. Ranma was surprised at the sense of loss he felt. He couldn't remember his own mother, and so he hadn't thought that it would bother him this much anymore. Part of the reason he'd avoided coming home was the disappointment.

Nodoka, for her part, glared at him. This handsome young boy in the damp clothing had the same name that her daughter had used this afternoon. Frowning, she started to say something, but Souun spoke before she could.

"Nodoka, this is Genma's son, Ranma." Nodoka narrowed her eyes and looked the boy over more closely.

Akane watched the silent battle of wills between Ranma and Saotome-san. She was pretty sure that Ranma would fail to make the appropriate connection between this afternoon's events and the woman's name.

"Ranma," she said urgently, tugging on his shirt sleeve. She frowned when he jerked it out of her grasp, but she continued anyway. "She's your father's wife!"

Nodoka nodded. "Indeed, I am Saotome Genma's wife. But _I_ do _not_ have a son. I have a daughter, who was in this house this afternoon." Her eyes hardened. "Who is your mother, young man?"

Ranma shook his head. "I… I don't remember my mother. It's always been just me and Pop." He tried to ignore the woman's harsh glare. "Besides, if I ain't your son, then you can't be Pop's wife." Ranma returned Nodoka's glare with equal intensity. "He may not be a great person, but he wouldn't cheat on his wife. You must be married to some other Saotome Genma." Ranma turned to Souun for confirmation, but was not surprised to see tears in his eyes. No help there. Kasumi was looking thoughtfully at her cup of tea, and Akane seemed confused.

Nodoka leaned across the table, her gaze intensifying. "No. I am married to Saotome Genma, student of the Anything Goes school of martial arts, who trained under Master Happousai with his friend Tendou Souun—this gentleman sitting right here. But I have no son. Just a single daughter! The Tendous all told me that you know where the girl I saw this afternoon is!" Nodoka rose and leaned across the table towards Ranma. The cloth wrapped around her bundle slid down to reveal the hilt of a katana. Ranma couldn't help swallowing at the sight.

Surprisingly, it was Kasumi who broke the impasse, gently chiding Ranma with her eyes. "Ranma-kun, you really should explain everything to Saotome-san. She deserves to know."

"Aw, come on Kasumi. You don't believe all this, do you? I mean, you know I'm a guy." He looked at the eldest Tendou daughter. She was considering him with a confused look on her face and seemed to be taking an awfully long time to answer. "Right? Right? I'm a guy!"

The cold water poured over his head caught Ranma by surprise, and she turned a baleful gaze on Akane. The other girl looked at the floor, her cheeks red with embarrassment and an empty glass in her hand.

Nodoka, who had been leaning across the table when Ranma changed, shrieked and swiftly clapped her hand over her mouth. Still leaning towards Ranma, she stared as the girl turned towards Akane. "Ranko?… what…"

Ranma turned back to the woman. "I told you, my name is Ranma. Not Ranko."

"But… but you were a boy a second ago! How… You _are_ Ranko, aren't you?" Her quivering voice, filled with both dread and hope, tore at Ranma's heart. The red-haired girl ducked her head, unable to look at the woman.

Nodoka seemed to gather her wits, and turned to Akane. "What did you do?"

Ranma answered before Akane could. "It's an ancient Chinese curse. Me and Pop fell in these cursed pools in China. When I get splashed with cold water I turn into a girl. Hot water changes me back."

Nodoka stared at her for a moment, then shook her head. "You must be her! You are my daughter, Saotome Ranko." Nodoka looked at Souun, her eyes entreating him to say something, anything. "Tell her, Souun! You know Genma doesn't have a son! You and Kirara were there when I gave birth to Ranko!" Souun remained silent, retreating further into his shield of tears. Akane fumed at his cowardice.

"Hey, like I said before, I'm a boy!" Ranma objected.

Nodoka looked at Ranma evenly. "You are my daughter! Your hair is almost the same color as mine was at your age, and I'd know those blue eyes anywhere. How many Japanese girls are redheads? And your birthday is March 18, 1983, is it not?"

Kasumi nodded. "That is your birthday, isn't it Ranma-kun?"

Ranma jerked her head in response. "Yeah, but so what? She can't be my mother if she had a daughter. I've been a boy my whole life!"

Nodoka pointed at Ranma's chest. "How can you possibly say that you're not a girl?"

"I told you, it's a Chinese curse! It's magic! I was born a boy. The _curse_ changes me into a girl. Just like Pop's a man and the curse changes him into a panda. If I'd been born a girl, the Nyanniichuan wouldn't have any effect on me." Ranma smirked. That should prove that she was a boy. The red-headed girl was his cursed form, not his male body. How could she possibly have changed from a girl to a boy? Ranma had been a boy as long as she could remember!

Nodoka stared at Ranma. "You claim that the panda I saw earlier was Genma? I don't believe you!"

"Yeah, but you believe that a boy can change into a girl don'tcha?" Ranma couldn't help sounding smug as she responded.

Akane gazed thoughtfully at Ranma. "Or that a girl could change into a boy, Ranma. Maybe there's something here we don't know." Ranma glared at her, but Akane wouldn't stop. "She does know your birthday, and she's right about your hair. And… and I don't know if you noticed, but… when you're a girl, you look an awful lot like Saotome-san." Kasumi blinked, and started looking between the two redheads.

"Hey, this hair is the hair of some Chinese girl from 1500 years ago! And… and lotsa people look alike without bein' related!"

Akane had turned to her father. "Daddy, is it true? You know Saotome-san, don't you? Is she Ranma's mother?"

Souun continued to stare at the table, tears crawling down his face.

Ranma grinned. "See, it's not true!"

Akane punched her in the arm. "He's not denying it either, you baka. And you know he would if it wasn't true. He'd never let some stranger break up our engagement."

Nodoka gasped. "You are engaged to Akane?"

Ranma blushed. "It was all Pop's fault! He, ummm, didn't stop at Akane, either… he engaged me to Ucchan, too…" She turned a deeper red and wondered if she should have mentioned that.

"How could Genma engage you to a girl? Worse, to _two_?" Nodoka's brow furrowed in anger. "Absolutely not! I will not permit it! It would be scandalous for a daughter of the Saotome family to marry another woman. No daughter of mine is going to marry another girl! Souun, how could you and Genma do this to our children?"

As she waited for Souun's answer, Nodoka heard Ranma shriek. Quickly looking back, she saw two tiny hands groping her daughter, and a small, bald head nuzzling her neck. Nodoka's eyes widened. "You!" she gasped.

Happousai looked around the room, smiling. "Family reunions are so touching. I'm glad you finally met your mother, Ranko."

Ranma grabbed the twisted old freak by his neck and held him against the table. "What do you mean, 'Ranko'? My name is Ranma!"

Happousai nodded enthusiastically. "Oh, of course, of course. Your name is Ranma." He smirked. "Silly me."

Nodoka gasped at the twisted little man's words. "You knew!"

Ranma tried to throttle him again, but the tiny pervert easily slipped from her grasp.

Leaping after him, Ranma screamed "It's not true!"

"Well, of course it's true, Ranma. And I should know. Who else do you think Genma and Souun would come running to once they found out they'd never have sons to carry on the families' schools?"

All of the people in the room stared at Happousai in shock. Nodoka drew her katana in one swift motion and waved it threateningly. "You helped that… that bastard do _this_ to my beautiful baby girl?" The point of the katana hovered around Ranma's neck, causing her to flinch away from Nodoka.

Akane's temper was starting to flare. "Daddy, what does he mean, 'Genma _and_ Souun'? You didn't help him do something to Uncle Saotome's daughter, did you?"

Kasumi looked crossly at Souun, who retreated further into his veil of tears.

Ranma protested again. "I'm a guy! Why does everyone want me to be a girl?"

Happousai turned his gaze across the room. "Well, _I_ wanted her to be a girl. I saw how cute she was, and I knew that my darling little Ranko was going to grow up to be a fine, healthy young woman." Here he gave the young woman in question a lecherous grin, causing her to snarl at him.

He sighed. "But how could I turn my boys down? I was just glad to find out the lad had fallen into that spring at Jusenkyou."

Ranma lunged for him, but he bounded out of the room, barely ahead of her. Charging for the door, Ranma was brought up short by Nodoka grabbing her shirt.

"Ranko! Stay away from the Master! No good ever comes to any girl who goes near him!"

Ranma rounded on Nodoka. "That's enough! How many times do I have to say it? I ain't a girl!" Grabbing the pot of tea off the table, Ranma poured it over herself.

Nodoka gasped and flinched from the transformation, clutching her katana tightly to her chest. "Ranko… why… what did they do to you, to make you feel this way? To want to be a man?"

Ranma tried to match the woman's gaze, but its intensity forced him to look away. "I _am_ a man. I ain't your daughter."

The room suddenly descended into silence. Ranma briefly looked back to Nodoka's face, then turned away again, unable to confront the broken heart he saw there. The strained silence wasn't much easier to take.

Nodoka stood staring at the young man, the young man she knew must be her daughter. "I am sorry for having disturbed you. I… I should go." Gripping her sword tightly, she bowed to the girls and Souun at the table, then departed.

Ranma looked up, only to see Nodoka's back as she walked quickly out the door. "I'm sorry," he whispered to her as she left.

Akane stalked across the room towards him. "How could you do that to your own mother, Ranma? After all the years you've been separated, how could you do that to her?"

Ranma looked at Akane, a sullen expression on his face. "What do you mean?" He looked across the pond at the moon breaking through the clouds. "She ain't my mother. You heard her, she says she has a daughter. I'm a guy. I don't know why she thinks I'm her daughter."

"You don't? Let's see, you just happen to look like her, and she just happens to have a red-haired, blue-eyed daughter who was born on the same day as you?"

"I'm a guy. It must be a coincidence."

"And she's married to a Saotome Genma?"

"Must be a different one."

Gathering the dishes at the table, Kasumi glanced at her father. "She was here all afternoon, Father. Is she really Uncle Saotome's wife?"

Souun looked at the table as he answered. "Yes." Looking at Ranma, he spoke again. "She is your father's wife, Ranma."

Ranma paled. "She… she can't be my mother, can she?"

Souun stood from the table, and reached into his gi to pull out a pack of cigarettes. "Only Genma can answer that question." Tapping the pack, he pulled out a cigarette and stepped out on the porch.

Ranma turned to the stairs, shaking his head. "I've had it. Goodnight."

"You're just going to go to bed?" Akane shouted after him.

Ranma turned around. "Yeah. That's _exactly_ what I'm gonna do."

* * *

The next evening found Ranma following Akane through an unfamiliar part of Nerima ward. A twenty minute walk had been spent in silence, and Ranma could hardly believe that he had let Akane talk him into coming at all. They had argued about it for most of the day.

They were still at it. "I still can't believe that you're draggin' me to see her, Akane. What gives you the right to butt into my life like that?" He scowled. "You even told her we might stay the night!"

Akane stopped suddenly, and Ranma almost ran into her. "Akane?…"

She turned around to face him, cold anger on her face. "Ranma, not a day goes by when I don't think about my mother. She died when I was four, and I can't even remember her. I'll never see my mother again, except at the cemetery." She paused a moment and closed her eyes, and Ranma swallowed.

Akane took a deep breath. "Your mother is alive! You can see her! You _have_ to see her! How can you throw her away?"

Ranma was irritated again. "Yeah, but if she was my mother, I'd be a girl. I ain't a girl, Akane. So why do I have to see a stranger?"

"What if she _is_ your mother, Ranma? How do you think you're making her feel?"

Ranma bowed his head in guilt, and tried to think of a reply. Before he could, Nodoka's voice came. "Akane-chan, is that you?"

Ranma and Akane looked up the street to see Nodoka standing in the gate to a well-kept house. She was watching the two teenagers intently. "Hello, Akane-chan, Ran-" Nodoka swallowed. "Ranma."

Ranma sullenly bobbed his head in response.

"I heard voices, so I came outside… I have to admit I'm surprised you called. I thought after last night, that…" The older woman paused, and looked to the two teenagers thoughtfully. "Won't you come inside? I will prepare some tea for us."

Akane smiled and dragged her reluctant companion to the gate of the house. "Thank you, Saotome-san." She frowned at Ranma when he failed to greet his mother. Finally he relented and mumbled a greeting as well.

"Please call me Auntie, Akane-chan. I knew you very well when you were little." They followed her inside.

The inside of the house was hard for Akane or Ranma to describe. It felt almost like a shrine, well kept and well loved, but with the sort of omnipresent weight that made you want to speak in whispers.

As Nodoka entered the kitchen, Ranma and Akane moved to sit on a couch, both of them carefully making sure that they were far enough apart so that they wouldn't accidentally touch one another, but still close enough to feel each other's presence.

Ranma leaned his head close to Akane's and whispered, "This is spooky. It feels so quiet."

Akane nodded. "She must be very lonely. She's been living here by herself for twelve years, thinking about her lost family." She gave Ranma a pointed look.

Although Ranma could be dense at times, he didn't miss the meaning of Akane's stare. "I told you, she can't be my mom. She's got a daughter, and I'm a guy."

Reaching to the table at the end of the couch, Akane picked up a picture that she had seen when she sat down, and handed it to Ranma. In it a young woman sat wearing a wedding kimono of the purest white. At her shoulder stood a young man in a splendid gray kimono. The woman was almost the spitting image of Ranma's girl form. The slim man was clearly Genma. Half his hair was already gone.

Ranma held the picture as he looked at it for a long minute. As he stared at it, Nodoka returned to the room, carrying a tray with a pot of tea and three cups. "Oh, I see you found my wedding photo."

Akane nodded as she took her cup of tea. Ranma continued to stare at the picture, and tried to ignore the icy feeling that was starting to crawl up his spine. Nodoka sat a cup of tea in front of the boy, and quietly took a sip of her own. "I am sorry for my actions yesterday, Ranma."

Ranma looked up at the woman with a blank expression on his face; she stared back at him. After no one spoke for several seconds, she dropped her eyes and continued. "I know that you don't believe that you are my daughter, and I must admit that I find it hard to accept your curse. But when I saw you walk into the Tendou's home yesterday afternoon, when I looked into your eyes, I knew that you were my child." Nodoka looked up and caught Ranma's eyes. Akane looked back and forth between the two.

Nodoka set her cup of tea on the table. "Would you like to see Ranko, my daughter? I… I pulled out my home movies when I came home last night." Ranma tried to look neutral at the offer, but Akane nodded eagerly.

Nodoka stood and walked over to the TV in a corner of the room, and opened a door in the cabinet below it. There were several rows of tapes stored there. Nodoka ran her finger along the labels, finally tapping one lightly. "I think you'll like this one, Akane-chan."

Akane blinked. "Really?"

"It was taken at Ranko's fourth birthday party, just a few months before she and Genma disappeared." Nodoka slipped the tape into the VCR, pressed play, and turned the TV on. She took her seat again, and the three listened to several seconds of static before the picture began to clear. "You'll have to forgive me if the tape is a little scratchy; it's a copy of the original, and I view them… quite often. Oh, here we go."

On the screen, a young, smiling Nodoka waved from the kitchen door as the person holding the camera played with the zoom. Again, Akane was struck by just how much she looked like Ranma's girl form. Finally settling down, the cameraman panned around the room, showing balloons floating above a small pile of presents, and a table set with festive napkins and flowers.

The doorbell rang, and the camera advanced to the genkan, the bell ringing a second time before a hand came into focus and pulled on the door, sliding it open.

Outside a smiling family stood. In front was Souun, obviously, with his characteristic mustache and brown gi. In front of him, with his hand on her shoulder, was a young girl with long brown hair in a ponytail, smiling up at the camera. Another girl with her hair in pigtails stood hiding behind his legs, holding tightly to the back of his pants.

"Saotome! Good to see you!" Souun exclaimed, trying to step up into the house, but tripping with the girl holding his pants. "Nabiki, please."

The little girl shook her head furiously and hid her face behind her father. Souun grinned resignedly at the camera. Digging into his pockets he pulled out a coin. "I'll give you ten yen, if you come inside and be nice while we are at the Saotomes'."

The girl reached out her hand, and Souun placed the coin in it. She giggled and ran in to join Kasumi. Souun shrugged with a smile, and stepped in as well.

As they watched her family on the TV, Akane had reached out and taken hold of Ranma's hand, squeezing it tightly. For once, Ranma didn't say anything, sensing her mood. After they watched Souun enter the living room they were sitting in now, Akane gasped at what was revealed behind him.

A pretty young woman in a blue dress, with long black hair, was walking into the genkan on the TV. She was holding a little girl—Akane—in her arms. Ranma felt Akane's hand squeeze his tighter, until it was almost painful. "Mother," she sobbed once, and wiped the tears from her cheek with her free hand.

Ranma awkwardly scooted over closer to Akane, and she looked at him briefly, and produced a teary smile. "It's… it's OK. It just caught me by surprise." Ranma nodded, and together, they watched the video as it played out before them. As the next scene started, Ranma's face turned ashen.

On the screen in front of them two little girls were having a tea party. One of them was the young Akane they had just seen in her mother's arms, and the other was… was a little girl with red hair, blue eyes, and an eerily familiar face: Ranko. Ranko-chan was wearing a frilly green sundress, her lush red hair done up in a loose ponytail. She had two flowers in her hair, doubtless in honor of her birthday. Akane-chan was wearing a yellow cotton dress, and the two of them sat at a small play table with their tea set. On the larger table behind them, Nabiki was playing shop with a toy cash register. Occasionally, a seven year old Kasumi would come in from the kitchen, where she was apparently helping her mother and Nodoka.

Akane-chan and Ranko-chan had filled the empty chairs at their table with dolls and stuffed animals, with whom they carried on intricate conversations. Akane-chan was particularly fond of a large stuffed pig in the chair next to her. Akane was struck by how well the two little girls got along.

Nodoka seemed to read her mind. "You and Ranko were so close, Akane-chan. You were just like sisters." Nodoka sighed, Akane nodded in wonder, and Ranma shuddered.

She could hear Ranma speaking to himself softly, denying what he saw on the television in front of him. She squeezed his hand and felt him give her a little tug in response. It was unsettling to her, too. How could Uncle Saotome have done such a horrible thing to his wife and daughter? How could her own father have engaged her to a girl? She had no doubt that the little redhead on the TV was Ranma—or at least, his female form. What on Earth had happened? She now understood Ranma's rude behavior towards his mother: he simply could not deal with this. He was denying every shred of evidence put before him.

As the tape ended, Nodoka clicked the TV and VCR off. "Would you like to see her room?"

Ranma and Akane looked at each other. Akane nodded encouragingly and Ranma haltingly replied "S-sure." Nodoka led them up the stairs down the hall to a door just past the bathroom. On the door was a wooden cat with the name "Ranko" carved into it. Ranma shuddered at the sign. Once the door opened, he stepped through quickly.

Akane, following him, bumped into his back when he stopped. "C-c-cats," he stuttered.

Akane could see that the bed was covered with stuffed animals, many of them cats. The walls were hung with pictures of cats and dogs. The walls were pink, and the window was covered with lacy white curtains. The room had a sad, musty air, like a museum: it was too neat, too orderly. She suddenly felt close to tears, as she imagined what it must have been like for Auntie to come into this room over the last twelve years.

Akane walked across the room to the dresser, and surveyed the framed pictures on top. One showed Ranko-chan and her parents, one showed a huge tomcat sleeping in the sun. In the last picture, Ranko-chan was holding the cat, which was almost as long as she was tall, to her chest.

Amongst the pictures were several smaller items: a tiny music box, a small figurine. The remnants of a little girl's life. Akane felt a deep, cold hatred for Saotome Genma wash over her; he had killed that little girl, his own daughter! What kind of a monster could do that? As she examined the relics before her, Akane heard Ranma come up behind her. She turned to make a comment, to let him know how she felt, but she never got the chance.

Ranma was looking past Akane at the pictures on top of the dresser, looking very much as if he'd seen a ghost. His eyes were wide, and there was something in them Akane wasn't used to seeing: desperate fear. Ranma looked like a trapped animal. His head moved slightly from side to side, as if saying "no", but his eyes never left the photographs on top of the simple pine dresser.

He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. His arms came up and he hugged himself. Breaking his eyes away, he abruptly turned away towards the bed, and after gingerly pushing the stuffed cats to one side, as if handling some dangerous substance, sat down heavily. Akane leaned on the dresser, while Nodoka regarded both of them from the door, not quite sure what was going on. Ranma still had the trapped look on his face.

Akane was really worried; this wasn't like Ranma at all. "What is it, Ranma? What's wrong?"

Ranma looked to Akane, then to Nodoka, then down to the slightly worn cream-colored carpet, which he studied intently. It showed its age, but was spotless, no doubt thanks to his mother. "I… I…" he stopped, then tried again. "I… remember. Th-that c-c-cat. And the… dr-dress. M-mom was always tellin' me to not pick him up, 'cause I always got c-cat hair all over"—he swallowed—"my dress. That picture's the first thing out of all the stuff I've seen and heard that I actually remember myself. I guess… I was too young to remember very much, but I remember that." He shivered. "Oh… oh, Kami-sama, I'm… I'm… really a girl." He put his head down on his knees and hugged them, trying to curl into a ball.

His head was spinning. He had been denying this conclusion ever since he was first reunited with his mother. He could deny his mother's words, he could deny Happousai's account, he could deny the photographs and videos he had seen. But he couldn't deny his own memories. And he had memories—fragmented, fuzzy, and few, but memories nonetheless—of being a little girl. The dam he had built in his mind against the implications of what his mother was telling him—and against other things—abruptly gave way, and from behind the dam came a flood.

Akane looked on, her heart aching in sympathy. Ranma seemed to be starting to accept his past. What that meant, she didn't know, and she was afraid that the strong, confident person she had known was falling apart before her eyes. She felt pity, and wondered that she would ever feel such an emotion about Ranma. The following weeks and months were going to be hard on him, and she resolved to put aside all the bickering and be Ranma's friend, for he was surely going to need one. She had made such resolutions before, and failed, and this time vowed to put all her will and strength into it. She moved towards Ranma.

Ranma felt numb, as if he were freezing to death. The room seemed to fade away as his senses shut down. The simple fact that he, Saotome Ranma, man amongst men, was a girl, a girl named Ranko, occupied his entire universe, crowding everything else out. Time seemed to slow down, as this fact rolled over and engulfed every truth he had held about himself. His view of who he was was disintegrating, replaced by an enormous gulf of questions and uncertainty. He felt Akane sit next to him on the bed and put an arm around him, and murmur soothing words… comforting him… as if he were… he were…

No! That was the past! That was when he was a small child. It didn't matter now! He _had_ to be a guy! His head came up in defiance, and his eyes met his mother's. The hope mixed with concern that he saw written there nearly washed away his determination, but he forged ahead anyway.

"M-mom… I guess… I guess I am your… d-daughter. But, I spent most'a my life as a guy! It's all I know now! I can't… be a girl! I gotta be a man…" He trailed off as he saw the hope drain slowly from his mother's face. His head started to spin again…

His mother stood silent for a few moments, then spoke carefully, her emotions under tight control. "Ran… Ranma. Dear, all I want is for you to be happy. You have to live in the way that is most comfortable for you and makes you happy. If you… if you decide that means staying a boy, then… then I… I just want you to be happy… I'm just glad that you are back in my life. I won't ever lose you again!"

Ranma knew she meant it, but he also saw the tears gathering in the corners of her eyes, and knew that she wanted her daughter back, more than anything else in the world. She had shown as much by searching for her for so many years. His resolve faltered, and the numbness started to return. Something in his mother's words nagged at him, but he shoved that aside, as he always did.

Nodoka sighed, a long tired sigh, and seemed to grow a little older in that moment, sagging against the door frame. She rubbed her eyes. "If you children will excuse me, this has been a very long day, and I need to rest. Akane-chan, there is a futon all laid out for you in the spare bedroom." The mundane conversation broke the tense mood in the room. Akane nodded and stood up from the bed.

Ranma, still somewhat disoriented from his epiphany, and by the fact that he hadn't gotten the arguments he was expecting from his mother, asked "Mom? Ummm, what about me?"

Nodoka raised her eyebrows in query. "Why, of course you're sleeping in here, dear. Why?"

Ranma's eyes darted to the pile of cats pushed to one side of the bed. "With _them_?"

* * *

Later that night, the stuffed cats safely banished to a cardboard box in the closet, Ranma lay in a little girl's bed—_his_ bed—and stared at the ceiling. His mind was swirling with half-formed thoughts. The entire foundation of his life, the basis on which everything else was built, had given way. If he wasn't Saotome Ranma, man amongst men, who was he? What was he? If he was really a girl, what did that mean? How did he feel about that?

Quickly, a litany of insults streamed forth from his memories of his father—"weak" "stupid" "silly" "a distraction from the Art" "less than a man"—and quashed that line of inquiry. These attitudes had been drilled deep into him for twelve long years on the road. The idea of being a girl made him feel as if he were every one of those things. But he now knew that everything the old man had taught him was suspect, tainted; if he had lied about and corrupted Ranma's very identity, he could lie about anything, twist any truth to suit him. Did that include even the Art itself? Was that a fraud too?

Ranma didn't know what to believe in any more. He didn't know what to feel about his father; what the man had done was so horrible, Ranma couldn't quite grasp it. So much of what he was he owed to his father. And it was all a lie, a lie on a colossal scale. Was he a lie, too? If he remained a man, was he an accomplice to Genma as well as a victim? Did he join his father in this crime? But how could he possibly do anything else?

As he lay there, he suddenly noticed a barely audible sound coming from down the hallway. He strained his ears, sensitive from years of running away with his father in the dead of night, and heard soft, muffled sobs. He quickly turned over on his side, towards the wall, hiding from the sounds, his eyes suddenly shut tight, tears threatening to force their way out. It was his mother, and he knew she was grieving for the daughter she might never see again, even though her child had returned.

Ranma lay there for a time, feeling miserable and low; how long, he didn't know. For years he had longed to be with his mother; he hadn't even known she was still alive. Now they were together again—and he was breaking her heart. He didn't know if he could do what his mother wanted, what his honor told him he should do. He didn't even know how he felt about it.

Finally he sighed and opened his eyes, and found himself face to face with a cheerful rag doll; there hadn't been room in the closet for anything but the cats. The doll had a big smile, eyes that laughed, and was dressed in a peasant dress and a straw bonnet. He couldn't help but smile for a moment, but it soon faded and he regarded her seriously. "What am I gonna do? I can't let Pop get away with what he did. I can't stand seein' Mom like this, and me bein' a guy makes it worse. But I can't be a girl! I just can't! At least…" He trailed off. The doll kept on smiling, impervious to Ranma's troubles. He regarded her for a few moments more, then rolled over on his back to look at the ceiling once more. "Reminds me'a Kasumi…" he sighed, and tried once again to sleep.

* * *

Akane turned on her side, trying to keep the morning sun from her eyes, but it was too late; she was awake. Unlike Ranma, it took very little to wake her up. She sighed, rolled back over on her back, and looked around the room.

Since the Saotomes had had only a single child, there was little in the room in the way of furnishings. Having never had a real occupant, its contents were sparse; odd cast-offs and older pieces from other rooms in the house, items intended for storage or disposal. No one had ever been in the room long enough to imbue it with a soul. Akane found the atmosphere kind of sad. The room needed someone to live in it to give it life; maybe Auntie would let her do something with it if she were going to be staying here often.

She had been too tired last night to think about all that had happened, but she found her thoughts quickly returning to Ranma. There was no doubt now that Ranma was Ranko, that he had been born a girl and spent the first few years of his life that way. She knew they shouldn't have doubted Auntie Saotome to begin with, but the idea had been so fantastic, so impossible, that she and Ranma had clung to their doubts until the last of them was forcibly removed. Ranma had remembered his own girlhood, and there was no arguing with that. And Akane found that the bombardment of images and stories from that time were starting to dislodge a few, faint memories of her own.

She hadn't remembered anything of what they had seen in the video, as she had been sitting there holding Ranma's hand, but there were tantalizing hints of… sitting… she remembered sitting… sitting with a little girl with a red pony-tail… playing with her in a sandbox while their mothers looked on—

Akane gasped. She had never managed to remember her mother before. Until now, she hadn't had a single shred of a single memory of the woman who had died when she was a little girl. The simple glimpse of her mother in the video the night before had been a wonderful gift. She grabbed at the memory, straining to extract every last bit from it that she could, to know her mother in a way she hadn't been able to. But few details came. Her mother had been, well, her mother: a fixture, a constant in the universe, part of the background, not a new and interesting object to be examined in detail, poked and prodded. She couldn't recall much.

She sighed in frustration, and tears came to her eyes… tears… she was crying… and… and… "My shovel broke, Mommy! It broke!" Her head was buried in her mother's lap, her mother's hand stroking her hair, then… what? Another shovel? Akane thought hard; another shovel? Where did that come from? A hand, holding it towards her, offering it; her mother's? No, a child's hand… the little red-haired girl's hand. And words that, for a change, were clear:

"Please don't cry, 'kane. You're my bestest friend!"

Akane couldn't quite believe this. She had been carrying this memory in her head for almost as long as she had been alive. It had been utterly lost, until recent events had pulled on a thread, which had pulled on another thread and yet another, until finally she stumbled across this fragment of her past. Did she and Ranma… Ranko… really go back that far? Had they been such close friends—like sisters—so long ago? What did it mean?

Akane's thoughts drifted back to the night when a red-haired girl had arrived on her doorstep, carried by a panda. How had she felt then? It was just a few months ago, and her memories were clear, but could she remember her feelings?

She remembered the shock of a panda strolling in the front door, almost overshadowing the red-haired girl with it. They had been expecting a boy, and when the others started poking at Ranma and making comments, Akane had leapt to her defense, jumping to protect her. "Hi, I'm Akane," she had said, "would you like to be friends?" Ranma had smiled back, somewhat shy, and something had passed between them. She had felt an unexpected closeness to that red-headed girl. When she had found out that Ranma was a boy, she had felt utterly betrayed, almost violated; that _boy_ wasn't a real girl, couldn't be the friend she had thought she had found. Had taken away the friend she had thought she had found.

That she had found again?

Akane sat up slowly from her futon. She knew she had a deep connection with Ranma which kept them together despite the fighting, the insults, and the arguments. She had thought it signified that they were meant for each other, meant to be together as man and wife. And yet, the idea of being engaged to Ranma had always grated on her; she felt like she was being pushed into something she wasn't comfortable with, and she was pretty sure Ranma felt the same way.

She had thought that she would be ready, in time, but that feeling of unease had persisted. They were both uncomfortable with the engagement and with expressing affection, though they cared deeply for each other. It had never seemed to her like the way she thought the love between a man and a woman ought to be. And Akane found herself losing her temper at Ranma constantly, getting angry at him over and over again, mad at him for being such a jerk… such a… boy. Losing her temper came easily to her, but she lost her temper more with him than with anyone else she knew; it made her feel bad, but it kept happening.

Akane pulled her knees up with her arms around them, rested her head on them, and sighed. Was this the root of her attraction to and repulsion from Ranma? Had she somehow been ready for a red-haired girl to walk back into her life? The almost-sister who had been stolen away? Was that why the idea of being engaged to him seemed so uncomfortable?

She thought of the handful of times they had actually kissed. There had been the pleasure of sharing something special with him, but there had always been that discomfort… a discomfort that, she found, was now starting to blossom into a feeling of true queasiness. Despite the schoolyard taunts, Akane was not interested in girls, not that way, but her feelings about Ranma had left her concerned about her own sexuality; why had the idea of intimacy with him disturbed her so much? Had she at some level been aware that Ranma was her childhood "bestest friend"? Could she now view him as anything else?

She fell back on the futon with her hands behind her head. It certainly seemed as if that might be the case. She knew she cared deeply for Ranma, and the hurricane of information and memories about their childhood had made things more clear. Ranma had been like a sister to her, but being married to her sister, or even her brother for that matter, was not something she really wanted. It was just as well Auntie had canceled their engagement.

She felt the love she had for Ranma, and knowing it for what it was made her more comfortable with it, happier about it, than she had ever been before. She felt some of the tension and discomfort that had started with Ranma's arrival finally begin to ease. She couldn't help feeling sad, too: she had had dreams of being with Ranma, of raising a family together, and those dreams seemed unlikely to come true, now. But she also felt secure in a way she never had, because she knew that if their bond had survived for so many years, it was impervious in a way that romantic love often was not. No okonomiyaki chefs or glomping Amazons or psychotic gymnasts could come between her and Ranma, could take Ranma away from her, the thing she had feared most. She knew now why she felt that way: she had already had Ranko taken away from her once. She wouldn't ever let it happen again.

She felt a warm feeling as months of confused emotions seemed to solidify into something coherent and enduring. Maybe, just maybe, having a friend as close as Ranko… Ranma… was worth letting go of a dream that had never seemed to come to fruition anyway. A dream that had been based on a fraud, and had in some ways kept them apart.

She shook her head. This was all so confusing, so overwhelming. She hoped Ranma felt as deeply about their friendship as she did, because he was going to need an anchor to hold on to in the coming weeks. She prayed silently to Kami-sama that she would have the strength to be a friend and help him, even when he acted like a jerk, which could be relied on as surely as the sun rose each day.

The brightening sun and traffic noise from outside the window finally shook Akane out of her reverie, and she started to get up. She took off her pajamas and quickly put on the clothes she had laid out next to her futon the night before. The pajamas went in her pack, the futon was carefully folded and put out of the way, and Akane went off to see what the rest of the family was doing.

It was still a bit early, but not terribly so, and Akane was not surprised to find Nodoka awake and in the kitchen, preparing breakfast. The Saotome matriarch seemed to have recovered somewhat from the strain of the previous evening, and Akane was greeted with a bright smile as she entered the kitchen.

"Good morning, Akane-chan! Did you sleep well?"

"Very well, Auntie. Just not long enough…" Akane smiled ruefully.

"I'm sorry, did we wake you up?"

"Not at all, Auntie, I just wake up easily… wait a minute, did you say 'we'?"

"Yes, Ranko… Ranma was up before I was." Her smile faltered slightly. "She… he looked as if he hadn't slept very well. He went out when I came down, saying he had to do some thinking. He said you'd know where to find him and bring him back when breakfast was ready."

Akane was stunned. Ranma, up _early_, on a Sunday? He must really be disturbed. "I think I know where he means, Auntie. When do you plan on serving breakfast?"

"In about half an hour, I think."

"I'll bring him back by then." She turned to leave, then paused. "Auntie?"

"Yes, dear?"

"Last night you said Ranma… Ranko and I were just like sisters. What did you mean, exactly?"

Nodoka smiled. "You spent so much time together, and you got along so well. You just adored each other." She paused a moment, lost in memories. "Actually, one day, the two of you just decided you _were_ sisters, and nothing either I or your mother could say would change your minds." She laughed. "You two were pretty stubborn."

Her mind awhirl, Akane nodded, and left.

* * *

The early morning joggers didn't pay much attention to the morose-looking redhead who sat next to the Ikebukuro line bridge. This bridge carried the tracks over one of the many drainage canals that snaked their way through Nerima ward. After a few weeks of the heat of summer, the waterway was mostly dry, but a small stream flowed down the center. Even with the train line overhead, it was a relatively quiet, peaceful place—for Tokyo.

This was the place where she came when she wanted to be alone and think.

As she sat there, an early morning train moved out over the span, its electric motor humming and its wheels clattering on the tracks. Ranma couldn't see into the train from her vantage point not quite underneath the bridge, but she knew that this early it likely held workers who were unlucky enough to have to work on a Sunday. Come tomorrow, it would be packed with salarymen and O.L.'s on their way to work in downtown Tokyo.

Her gaze turned to a group of children playing on the wide flat space on the opposite bank. Their mothers sat nearby while they ran about and screamed in delight, playing games she couldn't quite identify from this distance. The boys and girls congregated in different groups, each playing their own games, and the mothers watched while chatting among themselves.

Ranma sighed and turned her attention from the outside world back to her feet.

A soft noise caused her to turn around. Akane was standing there, a few yards behind her at the top of the bank, regarding her with an inquiring gaze. She slowly descended the slope, and sat next to Ranma. Ranma turned back once more to her minute examination of her shoes.

"Auntie says breakfast will be ready in about a half hour, Ranma. What are you thinking about?"

"Nuthin' I wanna discuss with an uncute tomboy like you!" came the tart response.

Akane's mallet hand itched. She glared at Ranma, and was about to respond as she always did when she remembered her vow. As she fought to control herself, she remembered Ranma's distress from the previous evening. Ranma was inept with other people in the best of times, and these were hardly the best of times. Right now, she looked sullen and unhappy, and there were dark smudges under each eye; she clearly hadn't slept much last night. As Akane examined the girl in front of her, her mind suddenly flashed back to the little girl in the video last night, and her anger seemed to dissipate.

"Ranma, calling me names isn't going to make me go away." The redhead sagged a bit. "Why are you angry? I just want to help you."

Ranma started to retort that she didn't need any help from a klutz like Akane, but stopped, and thought. Usually she was the one doing the helping; she relied on no one, carefully hiding her feelings from view.

But… this was not just another martial arts battle, where she was in her element and knew she could win. All the martial arts in the world were not going to help her with this. She had been going around in circles in her mind, chasing her own tail. Maybe… maybe it was time to open up, to share her feelings, to have someone else… help.

For some reason, she couldn't think of anyone other than Akane she was willing to share these feelings with. And she realized, she did want to share them with someone; she was weary of fighting these demons herself, and since last night, they were starting to overwhelm her. She _had_ to open up to someone, or she was going to go crazy. Who else could she talk to?

Ranma cast her eyes down again, and was silent for a while. Akane bade her time, waiting for Ranma to get around to speaking. She was glad she had kept her temper; it looked like Ranma was going to open up a little.

"I… I'm still havin' trouble with the fact that I was born a girl. It really shook me up."

Akane looked over at the children at play across the canal. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Ranma was silent for a few moments. "I know how Mom feels, and what Pop did was awful, but… I… I gotta be a man! I haveta! Or my whole life is nothin', a big waste." She swallowed. "I can't throw all that away."

Akane turned to look at Ranma, who was fiddling with the drawstring on the light windbreaker she had worn against the morning chill. The windbreaker looked a little damp, and Akane imagined that Ranma the water magnet had had a close encounter of the wet kind on the way here. She focused on what Ranma was saying.

"What do you mean? What would you have to throw away?"

Ranma swung around to face Akane. "My manhood, Akane! I've worked so hard to be a real man, someone Pop could be proud of, and I was proud of too! And… and I don't wanna be stuck as a girl, where I can only be a housewife or an O.L. or somethin'! I haveta be a martial arts sensei! The Art is my life!"

Akane was a little confused about Ranma's train of thought. Something didn't mesh quite right, but she couldn't put her finger on it. "Ranma, I know Japan is a little backwards about women's rights, but even here there are lots and lots of choices available to women, and being a sensei is certainly one of them. Being a girl wouldn't keep you from doing those things, though I have to admit it would make it harder…"

"What are you tryin' to do, Akane, turn me into a weak, stupid girl like you?"

Akane felt her blood start to boil. _Weak? Stupid? I'll show him!…_ Except… Ranma had been born a girl, too, and she knew that herself! Akane's anger became mixed with confusion. _Why would she say that now that she knows?…_ Again her mind flashed back to the little girl in the video—a girl who had seemed to have a sweet, happy disposition, and who had gotten along famously with her friend Akane. How could that sweet little girl grow up to be such a _jerk_? As she glared at Ranma, suspicion started to dawn, the suspicion that there was more to Ranma's rude behavior than she had thought. Her anger faded. _I've got to stop letting her get to me, or I'll never be able to help her…_

"No, Ranma, I'm not. I'm not trying to force you to do anything. I'm trying to help you figure out the best way to be happy. You are my friend, and I _want_ you to be happy. All I was saying was that if you did decide to be a girl, you could still achieve a lot. Do you actually think girls are stupid and weak, or are you just saying that for another reason?" Akane gave Ranma a piercing look, not angry, but questioning.

Ranma blushed and looked down. "I'm… sorry, Akane. I know you're tryin' to help." She looked up again, up the drainage canal, at the line of buoys that sat beached on dry land at the point where the canal curved out of sight. Anywhere but at Akane.

"Even… even if you're right about that, I'm still a guy! I've gotta be a guy! Bein' a real man is one of the hardest things I ever done! I can't just throw it away!"

There it was again. Akane didn't know why, but the hairs on the back of her neck were starting to stand up, and she had a chill even in the growing warmth of the ascending summer sun. "Ranma, what do you mean? What's so hard about being a guy?"

Ranma looked at Akane as if she were an idiot. "It's hard to be a guy! It's really tough! That's why Pop was so proud'a me, and I was proud too! Bein' a man is _way_ harder than bein' a girl! And then there's the damn curse, too!"

Akane was really confused now. "You find it hard to be a guy?"

Ranma glared at Akane. "Well, duh! Ain't that what I just said? I didn't know you were _this_ dumb!"

Akane's hand twitched, and her aura flickered. In her hand, the ghostly outline of a mallet appeared, shimmering, as if trying to take form. Her vow! She squeezed her eyes shut and breathed deeply. She counted to 50. She had to stay in control; Ranma was lashing out because she was confused and deeply disturbed. Her hand trembled slightly, and the ghostly mallet faded away. She let out her breath with a sigh as she gained control of herself.

When she opened her eyes, Ranma was watching her with wide eyes. Suddenly, Ranma looked terribly ashamed, and buried her head on her knees. Her muffled voice emerged. "I'm sorry, Akane… I'm sorry… I'm just so messed up right now… I'm… I'm scared…", this last almost a whisper.

The last traces of Akane's anger evaporated, and she examined the redhead closely. _It's a wall_, she thought. _She's trying to keep me from getting inside. She tries to keep __**anyone**__ from getting inside. All you have to do is push past it. Why didn't I ever notice before?_ With some shame, she knew the answer: _I never paid enough attention, because I was too angry at her…_

"It's… OK, Ranma, I understand. I… just please try not to insult me so much, OK? I don't deal with it well, even though I know you don't really mean it." She smiled. She had gotten further with Ranma today than ever before, and was proud, though she knew that most of it was the clarification of her own feelings about Ranma. Still…

Ranma looked up, and her eyes might have been a little wet. She gave a tiny smile. "I'll… I'll try."

They both watched the scenery quietly for a while.

"Ranma, when you say it's hard to be a guy, what do you mean? I honestly don't understand you."

Ranma thought for a while. "Well, it… it just ain't easy, y'know? I gotta try so hard to be manly all the time, I gotta remember to be a man in all things. It just ain't easy. But it's like this for every guy; it's just harder than bein' a girl."

Akane was still terribly confused. "What makes you think that every guy feels that way?"

The redhead looked surprised by the question. "Ummm… uhhhh… Y'know, I'm not sure I remember where I heard it. I've known it for a long time. When I was younger I used to tell Pop how I felt, and he would yell at me to be a man, that it was like this for all men, that he felt that way too! He said just grit your teeth and be a man, 'cause it's somethin' to be proud of! 'Cause it's so hard."

Akane was starting to get angry again, but not at Ranma. "Ranma, have you ever tried talking to a man _other_ than your father about this?"

Ranma looked embarrassed. "Ummm, no… It's just too… private. I always felt ashamed of it, even though Pop said it was normal."

"Ranma, I don't think it's normal at all. Maybe we need to go talk to Dr. Toufuu about this—you trust him, don't you?" The redhead nodded uncertainly. Akane sighed. "What were you saying about the curse?"

Ranma looked terribly embarrassed and ashamed. She looked at her feet for a long time, as Akane waited patiently. "I… I ain't never told no one this before. Not even Pop. It… it was hard enough bein' a man before. But once I started turnin' into a girl, and I really saw how much easier girls had it, it was even harder. The curse… it… it…" Ranma mumbled something inaudible and once again buried her face in her knees, trembling.

Akane was amazed. What could Ranma possibly be so ashamed of? "What did you say, Ranma? What did the curse do?"

Ranma slowly raised her head, still not looking at Akane. "It makes me feel like I wanna be a girl", she whispered, "like I wanna stay this way." She turned away in shame.

Akane felt a chill run up her spine. Ranma… felt drawn to her female form? _Wanted_ to be a girl? _She never told anyone before, but she was willing to tell me?_… "Ranma… I… I had no idea…" Ranma seemed to withdraw a little further into herself at Akane's words.

Akane felt like she was tantalizingly close to understanding something, but still couldn't quite grasp it. "How… how does the curse make you think girls have it easy? What do you mean?"

Ranma eventually looked up, her face still showing deep shame. "After I had the curse a while, I started noticin' that when I was a… a girl, I was more… comfortable. It just doesn't seem as… as hard as bein' a guy; in some ways, it… it ain't even hard at all. I know about how hard it is bein' a man, though, so… so I understand that."

Ranma seemed to grow more upset, and her voice took on a frightened tone. "But then… then I started enjoyin' bein' a girl! I… I hate myself for bein' so weak! I'm supposed to be a man! But… but it just… just f-feels like that's what I… I wanna be. A… a girl… A w-weak, useless girl…" Her voice broke, and she pursed her lips, her brow contorted in pain, unable to speak. Akane stared, not even noticing the put-down; Ranma seemed to be overwhelmed by her feelings.

After a short pause Ranma continued, "I know it's gotta be the curse, tryin' to get me to stay this way, so I fight it. No man should feel like this! But it's so _hard_ sometimes…" her voice trailed off to a whisper again, and she squeezed her eyes shut.

Akane was starting to make connections, and was afraid of the picture she was putting together. "Ranma, have you talked to Mousse or Shampoo about how they feel about their curses? What makes you think that you feel that way because of the curse?" Akane couldn't quite believe the blind spot Ranma was displaying, but she was pretty sure she knew who was responsible for Ranma having it.

Ranma looked even more unhappy. "No… no, it's just too embarrassin'. I didn't even tell Pop, I… I just couldn't. You're… you're the first person I ever told. I'm so ashamed of it. I hate myself…" She looked downright miserable.

As Akane looked into Ranma's haunted, tired eyes, she suddenly had one brief, terrible moment of lucid insight. The universe turned a cartwheel, and everything fell into place. She stared at Ranma, eyes wide, shaking her head ever so slightly. Ranma looked confused. "Akane?…"

Tears formed in Akane's eyes, and she squeezed them shut tightly. She buried her face in her knees, hugging them to herself. A small sob escaped her.

Ranma was starting to worry. "Akane? Akane, what's wrong? I…" Her face fell. "You… you think it's sick, don'tcha?" She looked miserably ashamed.

Akane looked up at Ranma, and knew she could never again see her with the same eyes she had before. _She really doesn't understand, does she?_ thought Akane. _Oh Kami-sama… the poor thing… all those years… that… that… __**monster**__! If she doesn't kill him, I will!_ The sudden expression of rage on Akane's face made Ranma even more uneasy, and she shied back, expecting a mallet at any moment.

Akane tried desperately to gain control of herself; she simply could not tell Ranma her thoughts. Ranma had to figure this out for herself, or she would never, ever understand or accept it.

She took a deep breath. "No, Ranma, I don't think you're sick at all. I think… I think I just understand you a little better, now." She smiled. "I'm glad you trusted me enough to share this with me." She thought for a while. "Maybe later today, we can get some answers to some of these questions."

Ranma looked nervous. "Q-questions? T-today?"

"About being a man. About the curse. Don't you want to know more?"

The fearful, trapped look from last evening reappeared on Ranma's face. "I… I dunno… It's so… so embarrassin'…" She looked at her shoes again, blushing.

Akane sighed. "Ranma, this problem is not going to get resolved unless you really make an effort to understand how you feel. It sounds to me like you have some unanswered questions that need answering." She looked at Ranma sympathetically. "You can't really expect to solve this problem if you hide from it, can you?"

Ranma looked up at Akane, sheepishly shook her head, then looked down again. "I guess the Saotome secret technique won't work this time, huh?" They both laughed.

The rails on the bridge started to sing as another train approached, and Akane looked at her watch. "Ohmigosh! We need to get going or Auntie will be waiting for us." She stood up quickly, and Ranma joined her.

Ranma smiled a tentative smile at Akane. "Thanks, Akane. I'm… I'm glad you're willin' to help."

Akane smiled back. "That's what best friends are for." As if moved by the same thought, they turned for a last look at the children across the canal. Akane noticed Ranma watching the girls at play, an unreadable expression on her face. She moved to get Ranma's attention…

Ranma was looking across the canal when she saw movement out of the corner of her eye. Akane was holding out a hand in invitation, fingers spread, a smile on her face and a slightly mischievous look in her eye. Ranma stared at her for a moment, then smiled back and took her hand. They turned and headed up the bank, as the train began to clatter its way across the bridge.

* * *

End Chapter 1

Tuesday, September 5, 2000

**Copyright Notice**

The characters and stories of Ranma ½ are Copyright © Rumiko Takahashi, and are used here without permission or license.

No claims to the above copyright are made by the author of this work.

This work is for non-commercial use ONLY, and is produced for the enjoyment of fans only.

This work is the expression of the author and the depiction of the Ranma ½ characters herein are in no way represented to be a part of Ranma ½ as depicted by the original author and copyright holder(s).


	2. Chapter 2: The Girl in the Mirror

Genma's Daughter

By ClassicalGal

Original concept and parts of chapter 1 by Nesin Evets

Chapter 2: The Girl in the Mirror

* * *

Nodoka sat by the window in the living room of her home, idly wondering what was keeping the children. She had just finished making breakfast, and the miso soup, fish, and rice stood waiting on the table. She was not impatient—yet.

She glanced once again up the narrow street on which her home stood. It was a street of modest houses, crowded together and with little yard space. Most of the neighbors, like Nodoka, made an effort to cultivate some kind of garden in the little space they had, and this lent each house a bit of personality. Nodoka liked the neighborhood where she had lived for so many years. A nice shopping street was a couple of blocks away, it was not far from a train station, and the neighbors were all old friends.

She saw two girls, one with black hair and a shorter one with red, walking up the street hand in hand and laughing about something. They turned the corner through the gate, slid open the front door and walked in, dropping their hands in the process. Nodoka lifted an eyebrow but said nothing about what she had seen through the window.

"Breakfast is ready, dears. You got back just in time. Shall we eat?"

Ranma started to protest. "First I wanna go…" she trailed off. "Ah, I can do it later. I'm starvin'!" They all sat down. Ranma turned to her mother. "It looks great, Mom!" After a brief chorus of "Itadakimasu!", they began. Nodoka once again witnessed the spectacle of Ranma eating. After seeing that just once she had known to prepare rather more food than usual, and stared as it disappeared rapidly. She shook her head. This was one habit she wanted her child to break, whether she was a boy _or_ a girl. Now was not the time, though.

She asked, "Ran…ma, dear, did you have a nice walk? What did you think about?"

Ranma stopped eating, and looked slightly embarrassed. Her mind spun as she tried to figure out what to say. Somehow, telling her mother about what was going through her head right now did not seem like a good idea, even if her mother would approve of it. _Especially_ if her mother would approve of it.

"Oh, just her situation, Auntie. Nothing special. She has a lot of thinking to do." Akane answered for Ranma. Ranma looked at Akane with gratitude. "It's a confusing situation for her, and I think it will take her a while to figure it out."

Nodoka had not missed the interchange, but decided not to press Ranma into talking if she didn't want to. Goodness knows she probably had a million things running around in her head right now.

In due time, the meal was finished, and Akane and Ranma rose, Akane helping to clear the dishes. When that was done, Ranma turned to her mother. "Mom? Can we borrow, ummm, some of the things you showed us last night? The video and the photos? We wanna visit Dr. Toufuu and explain, and also show this to the Tendous. I promise we'll bring 'em back tomorrow on the way to school." Ranma omitted the other place they might be going today.

Nodoka was a little surprised, but the request seemed reasonable. "Well, I had been hoping that you would stay a little bit longer before going back to the Tendous this morning." She smiled. "But I guess you're not going to disappear for another twelve years, so I don't mind. I have some documents that you might find useful, too." Akane and Ranma smiled back.

A few minutes later, their packs in hand, and with a flat cardboard box from Nodoka, they prepared to leave. "Thank you for your hospitality, Auntie. I hope to be able to come again?…"

Nodoka smiled. "Akane-chan, you are welcome here any time you want to come."

Ranma smiled. "Thanks, Mom! I promise you'll be seein' a lot more of us!" They turned and left, Nodoka sliding the door shut behind them.

No one noticed that Ranma had forgotten to get hot water after breakfast.

Ranma and Akane walked along one of the larger streets in Nerima. Auto traffic was sparse, but the area was abustle with pedestrians, people shopping or just enjoying the Sunday morning. Women doing the daily shopping walked from shop to shop, bags in hand, accompanied by children. Some rode by on bicycles. Groups of men in twos or threes would wander past, laughing or talking in an animated way. The occasional jogger would trot by every now and then. People were trying to get their business done before the day got really hot.

Ranma looked at Akane again. "Are you sure this is a good idea, Akane?"

Akane glanced over at Ranma. "I know they are hard to deal with, Ranma, but she knows more about the curses than anyone else we know. She has lived next to Jusenkyou for over a hundred years."

Ranma sighed. She hated every time she had to deal with the old ghoul and the others at the Nekohanten. They were crazy. Half the people she knew were crazy. It was depressing sometimes. Besides, she wasn't sure she really wanted answers to some of these questions.

They passed a shopkeeper. "Good morning, ladies! Would you like any fruit today?"

As Akane politely declined, Ranma looked surprised, then chagrined. "Ah, nuts! I wanted to change back before we left."

Akane stopped and looked at Ranma. "Do you want to look for some hot water now?"

Ranma thought for a moment. "We're almost at the N-nekohanten. Let's just ask them for some."

* * *

Sun streamed in the windows of the Nekohanten, as Shampoo went about cleaning the tables in preparation for another day. She sighed; it was a beautiful day out. Why did she have to work when all the other teenagers got to relax on the weekends? She did enjoy the work, but it was so omnipresent; a break would be nice now and then. As she went from table to table lifting up soy sauce and napkin dispensers to polish underneath, she reflected that at least it was air conditioned, for the customers of course. That would be a blessing during the full heat of the day. Still…

Shampoo looked up from her work as the chime rang, signaling a customer. That was odd, it was a little early yet for the lunch crowd. She hurried towards the door. "Welcome to Nekohanten, what… Oh, Airen! You come take Shampoo on date?" She rushed over to glomp Ranma, ignoring that she was in her female form. Ranma began to struggle as she always did, but then just stopped, looking at Shampoo in an odd way, as if seeing her for the first time.

Shampoo was so startled she stopped herself. Rather than Ranma's usual struggles, and Akane's angry reaction, both of which made it so much more fun, Ranma and Akane were just staring at her. They both looked as if they were trying to figure something out. It rattled her no end.

She tried to gather her wits. "Airen… come here for reason?"

The strange mood dissipated. Ranma looked down. "Yeah, Shampoo. We wanna talk to the old… umm, to Cologne."

Cologne sighed and put down the chopstick she had been aiming. Why couldn't she just have said it like she always did? Just like Ranma to spoil her fun by not playing the game. She hopped into the dining area on her stick.

"What is it, Son-in-law? What did you want to talk about?" As she came up to him, her senses were alerted. Something about Son-in-law was different. He… She seemed… disturbed about something, and the usual cocky confidence was missing.

Ranma started studying the floor again. Linoleum tile. She was getting to be quite familiar with floors, and imagined at this rate she would soon be able to go into the flooring business. She sighed, and lifted her head. "I… I got some questions I wanna ask ya. A-About Jusenkyou curses."

Cologne raised an eyebrow. This seemed to be odd behavior on Ranma's part. Mousse, who had been working in the kitchen, also wandered in and watched, or at least tried to.

Cologne said, "Perhaps we should all sit down," and motioned towards one of the tables. Akane and Ranma sat on one side, and Cologne and Shampoo on the other. Mousse pulled up a chair, facing the storeroom.

"Now, Son-in-law, what questions do you want to ask?" Mousse noted he was facing the wrong direction, and turned his chair to face the wall.

Ranma became visibly more nervous, and Cologne had to remind herself that despite the martial arts prowess of Ranma and the others, they were all still just teenagers after all. Sometimes they would be vulnerable or emotionally confused. She turned one part of her mind to wondering how to exploit this, while turning the rest of her attention back to Ranma.

Ranma swallowed nervously. "Ummmm… I… I want to know if… if the curses… affect the way the cursed person, uh, feels…" She blushed and lowered her face again. Akane reached her hand over and took Ranma's hand, holding it supportively. Ranma smiled back at Akane in thanks.

Cologne noticed Shampoo scowling out of the corner of her eye. What was the meaning of this? The usual tension between Ranma and Akane appeared to be absent. This was bad. Something was going on, and she was going to get to the bottom of it. If Son-in-law and Akane were progressing in their relationship, it did not bode well for Shampoo.

"What do you mean, Son-in-law? How the cursed person feels? I don't quite follow you."

Ranma blushed again. Kami-sama, but this was hard. "I… I mean about their cursed form."

Cologne could not figure out where this was going; usually she could read Ranma like a book. "Well, typically people resent the curse. Sometimes they find it useful. Eventually, they get used to it…" Cologne trailed off as she noticed Ranma looking at her with fearful eyes.

"You… you mean… the curse doesn't make people like their cursed form?"

Warning signals started going off in Cologne's head, but she wasn't quite sure why; it was just her intuition, after so many decades of life. She noticed Shampoo lean forward as if to hear better. Mousse, uncharacteristically, had put on his glasses, and was watching the conversation intently, finally facing the right way.

Ranma turned to Shampoo. "Shampoo… when… when you're a c-c-cat, do you feel… don't you feel like you wanna… stay that way? Like… like it's easier, and more comfortable?"

Shampoo's anger was turning into confusion. "Cursed form very useful sometimes, but not really like. Shampoo rather be girl than cat."

Mousse added, unbidden, "I have to say the same thing, Saotome. The curse is an advantage to use against an opponent, but I much prefer my human form." He frowned. "What is it you're implying?"

Ranma looked like she was in shock, upset, and deathly afraid of something. The volume of the warning signals in Cologne's head increased. It was time to get to the heart of the matter.

"What is going on here, Son-in-law? Why are you asking these questions? I can tell that there is something you two are not telling me." She spoke calmly, but Ranma could see the determination in her gaze.

Cologne didn't think she'd ever seen Ranma this scared before. She look terrified, as if facing execution. Her face lowered again, and Cologne was shocked to see tears starting to gather in Ranma's eyes. Shampoo and Mousse looked on, speechless. What on Earth was going on here?

Ranma started hugging herself, and Akane moved over and put an arm around her, giving her a gentle embrace. Ranma shuddered and took a deep breath, and Shampoo and Mousse felt like doing much the same thing. Cologne had the feeling that the world had changed, that the rules were not being followed, in fact the rules were being rewritten. Had they woken up in some parallel universe this morning?

Cologne pressed Ranma. "Well, Son-in-law?"

Akane said gently, "Ranma, you are going to have to tell them about your mother, and about… what you found out from her. They're going to find out eventually anyway." Ranma shuddered again, but nodded, her head still hung low. Cologne was astounded to see the distress that Ranma was in. She felt like she had never met the person in front of her before. Was this really Ranma who sat before them? The strong, macho man who took on any martial arts challenge? Mousse, too, shook his head in wonder. Was this the man he had fought so many times?

Ranma lifted her eyes to look at Cologne, whose shock was compounded to see that they were wet. "Cologne… I… I just met my mom again for the first time since I was a little… kid. I was really happy to see her, and she was really happy to see me, too. But… she… she told me somethin' about myself that… that is kinda turnin' my life upside down and makin' me all confused. She… she told me that… told me that…" Ranma lost the ability to speak. How could she reveal all this to the three people in front of her, when she had only just summoned the courage to tell it to her closest friend? People who were always striving not to help her, but to find and exploit her weaknesses in order to make her Shampoo's mate? But she had to.

Shampoo and Mousse were hanging on the edge of their seats. Cologne examined Ranma closely, and realized she was struggling, as mightily as if she were fighting one of her most desperate battles. She surprised herself by gently encouraging Ranma, "She told you what?"

Ranma took a deep breath, and looked at Akane. Akane smiled, and nodded her head slightly, as if to say "_I'm here. I'll always be here."_ Ranma looked back at Cologne, and in a very small voice said, "She… she told me that I'm a girl." Having made the supreme effort, Ranma once again hung her head in misery.

Cologne, Shampoo, and Mousse looked on in stunned silence for several moments, then to Ranma's surprise, they erupted into laughter. "Oh come now, Son-in-law, what kind of fool do you take me for? I suppose you're going to tell us now that you can't marry Shampoo? How transparent! You've tried this once already. What proof do you have for this ludicrous story?"

Cologne was surprised to see Ranma looking deeply hurt. She hadn't thought Ranma was this good an actor. She started to wonder; she _knew_ Ranma wasn't this good an actor.

Akane, wordlessly, reached down to the seat next to her, and placed a small cardboard box on the table. While Cologne, Shampoo, and Mousse looked on with rapt attention, she removed the lid, lifted a handful of documents and photographs from inside, and placed them on the table in front of Cologne. Shampoo scooted her chair over to get a better look, and Mousse looked over Cologne's shoulder. They all peered at what lay on the table.

On top of the pile was an aging photograph: a simple family portrait. In it was a younger version of Genma, whom Cologne knew well. Standing next to him was a young woman who looked like Ranma's female form, whom Cologne took to be Ranma's mother. And standing in front of them…

Standing in front of them was the four-year-old version of the red-headed girl who was sitting in front of Cologne and the others right now. She was wearing a green sundress, and her red hair was in a ponytail, held by a pretty ornament. She had an adorable smile on her face, and clung shyly to her mother.

She turned the photograph over; it was dated July 3, 1987. She turned her attention to the document underneath it. Her control slipped for a moment, and the blood drained from her face. Shampoo gave a little gasp. Mousse looked on, shock written plainly on his face. The document was an official copy, and bore the appropriate seals. It looked to be many years old.

Certified Copy, Certificate of Live Birth

City of Tokyo, Nerima Ward

Place of Birth: Nerima General Hospital

Father's name: Saotome Genma

Mother's name: Saotome Nodoka

Date of birth: March 18, 1983

Child's name: Saotome Ranko

Sex: Female

For a moment she thought it was possible the document might be a forgery, as she knew the middle Tendou sister was… talented, but as she leafed through the documents and photographs, some showing Ranko-chan with a same-age Akane, she knew that there were too many of them for anyone to concoct. She felt a numbness come over her. The rules of the game had indeed changed, drastically; all bets were off. She raised her eyes and looked at Ranma again, whose head was still hung down.

"And how can you explain this? After all, your female form is your cursed form."

Ranma looked up again, her expression still nervous and fearful. Akane's arm was still around her shoulders, giving her strength. She would never have thought she would need anyone else's strength, until the last few days. "Pop… wanted a son. He… he took me to Happousai not long after that family picture was taken, and… and… Happousai… turned me into a boy. When I fell in the Nyanniichuan, it made my cursed form… me." She swallowed. "The real me."

Cologne let out a long sigh. Of course, _he_ would be involved. How typical for him to be responsible for this. Shampoo was still staring at the birth certificate, looking back and forth between it and Ranma, who looked like she was ready to cry. Mousse was staring at Ranma; he didn't want to be that rude, but he couldn't help it. His rival for Shampoo's affections, the best martial artist he knew, was really a _girl_? Cologne scrutinized the red-haired girl in front of her as if seeing her for the first time; in a sense, she was. Ranma felt very uncomfortable under their combined gaze.

"And what of your engagement to the Tendous?"

Ranma looked at Akane again, who smiled and nodded again, a little sadly. "My mom… she said… she said that there was no way she was gonna let her… d-daughter marry another girl. She said all the engagements are off—Akane included."

That was enough for Shampoo, who put her head in her hands and started sobbing quietly, while Ranma looked on, miserable. Mousse put his hands on Shampoo's shoulders to comfort her, and for once she didn't object; he kept his eyes on Ranma. Cologne nodded; it was no surprise the mother would say that, and a mother's word was sacrosanct. "And what do you intend to do? Are you going to remain male or resume your life as Ranko?"

At this Ranma looked even more fearful and uncertain, if that was possible. "I… I dunno. I'm still tryin' to figure out how I feel about all this stuff. I only found out a couple days ago myself. I… I…" Ranma trailed off.

Cologne leaned forward and pierced Ranma with her gaze. The force of decades of wisdom and experience were behind it. Ranma gulped; she couldn't take her eyes off Cologne. "And the questions about Jusenkyou curses? Why did you ask?" Cologne was pretty sure she knew, but she had to make sure.

Ranma looked like a deer caught in headlights. She shifted uneasily in her seat. She wanted to take her eyes off Cologne, to look somewhere else, the floor, the table, the bottle of soy sauce sitting on the table, anywhere but Cologne, but she couldn't. Shampoo looked up, red-eyed; she and Mousse hung on Ranma's answer. Ranma swallowed again. "I… I wanted to see… I wanted to see if the feelin's I was havin' were… were the curse or… or…" she finally broke her gaze away and looked down, her voice dropping to a whisper. "or… me."

Cologne leaned back in her chair, and sighed. All those months, all that planning… the child had finally defeated her, and the biggest joke was, she didn't even realize it. Cologne didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She happened to glance at Akane. Akane looked back, and smiled a sad smile. So, the Tendou girl was more perceptive than she had thought. She'd figured it out even though Son… Ranma hadn't.

Cologne mercifully didn't pursue her line of questioning. "Very well, Ranma. We shall wait and see how things develop." Her tone softened. "Should you need any assistance in resolving this… crisis, please come and see me. I will try to help."

Ranma looked at Cologne, astonished. Of all the reactions she had been expecting, this was not one she had ever thought she would hear. Shampoo broke off her quiet crying and also looked at Cologne, dumbfounded. Cologne continued to gaze back at Ranma, her face serious but calm.

"Th-thanks, Cologne. I… I really appreciate it. I… Th-thank you." Ranma said earnestly.

Cologne turned to Akane. "And what are your feelings on this, Akane?"

Akane was surprised as well; Cologne rarely addressed her by name, or asked her feelings on anything. "Well, as you can tell from the pictures, Ranko… Ranma and I were very close when we were little. I… I think I knew that, even when she first showed up, even though I didn't recognize her as my childhood playmate. I want to help Ranma through this." She smiled. "She is still my friend; my best friend. Her mother said we were like sisters back then." Ranma smiled back, a little nervously.

Cologne nodded; it was becoming clearer why the two were so devoted to each other while never acting like proper fiancées. "I see. My offer to Ranma applies to you as well, Akane. Should you need help in this, I stand willing to assist you." Shampoo looked like she was ready to pass out from shock. Even Mousse looked surprised.

Akane bowed her head. "Thank you, Cologne." She stood, and tugged gently at Ranma's arm. "Come on, Ranma. We should get going. We still need to visit Dr. Toufuu." Ranma nodded, and got up. Akane collected the documents and photographs, carefully returned them to the box, then closed it and tucked it under her arm.

Ranma turned to Cologne and bowed respectfully, and Akane followed suit. "Thanks, Cologne. I… I guess I wasn't expectin' help when I came here." She looked embarrassed. "Thank you. I really mean it."

Cologne rose. "You are welcome, Ranma. I have no doubt that someone of your abilities will be able to resolve this situation." Ranma nodded, and turned towards the door.

"Ranma?" asked Akane. Ranma stopped and turned back with a questioning look. "Didn't you want some hot water?"

Ranma looked surprised, then vexed. "Oh. Oh, yeah. Hey Cologne, ummm, could I get some hot water?" Cologne nodded, then looked at Mousse, who moved to the kitchen, returning with a kettle, which he handed to Ranma. Ranma took it and a few moments later was male again, if damp. He handed the kettle back to Mousse, thanked him, and he and Akane were on their way.

Cologne watched the back of the black-haired mirage she had been chasing for so many months as he walked out the door, and sighed once more.

Shampoo quickly turned to Cologne, and switched to speaking in Mandarin. "_Great-grandmother, what about the engagement? Is it really over?"_ she asked, clearly upset.

Cologne stood up. "_Legally, Ranma is female, and so the Kiss of Marriage does not apply. Amazon law does not require you to marry… her. As for the Kiss of Death, we've already dragged that in front of the Council once, and I see no reason to do it again. You've been punished for that with your Jusenkyou curse. That's over and done with."_

Shampoo cast her eyes down, then looked back up. "_But… he's still really a boy, isn't he? Can't I still marry him?"_ Mousse's face fell.

Cologne sighed. "_Shampoo, you are supposed to be an heir to leadership. You heard what Ranma said about how she felt. You heard her mother's opinion on the subject. What do you think?"_

Shampoo lowered her eyes. "_Maybe… maybe he's just confused, and… and he'll stay male. Maybe his mother will come around."_

Cologne regarded her for a long time. Shampoo felt as if she were being evaluated, and found wanting. "_Shampoo, Amazon law says nothing one way or the other about this. If you continue to pursue Ranma, it's now a purely personal matter. Are you sure you want to keep after Ranma, considering everything we've just heard?"_

Shampoo sighed. "_I'm just not ready to… to give up… yet."_

* * *

The sun was ascending rapidly, and Ranma was actually glad he was wet. The evaporation made it a kind of natural air conditioning, and helped ward off the stifling heat of summer. He sighed; it wouldn't last long.

He and Akane were taking a short break at the park on their walk to Dr. Toufuu's. A short spell under the shade of a tree was just the thing for Akane, who did not have the benefit of being wet. Ranma was also grateful for the break. The unending stream of revelations about himself—about his curse, about his identity, about his feelings—was simply overwhelming him. It was almost like it was happening to someone else, and he was just watching.

Even in the heat of the day, there were still children playing at the park, though their running seemed a little less energetic than usual. As hot as it was, some homes were hotter still inside, and it was good to get out. Air conditioning was spreading rapidly but still was not universal. Akane and Ranma sat, and watched the world go by.

"Ranma, what do you think? About what Cologne said about the curses?" Akane turned her head to look at him.

Ranma continued staring off into the distance. "Maybe… maybe it only happens with human-form curses?…"

Akane sighed. "Do you really believe that?"

Ranma didn't move. After a long time, he finally said, in a quiet voice, "No. Not really." His face became angry. "Why? Why me? This can't be happening to me! It just can't! I… I've lived so long as a guy, I _am_ a guy! I'm Saotome Ranma, man amongst men, the best martial artist in Japan! I know who I am!" His voice dropped again, his anger dissipating suddenly, and a bewildered expression appeared in his eyes. "At least… at least I thought I did."

Ranma's eyes were looking in the general direction of the playground, but Akane knew he was seeing something else. "Girls… girls are weak, and stupid, and waste time on all sorts'a dumb stuff… but… but… I wish…" He lowered his head and put his hand across his eyes. "No. I… I can't!"

Akane found Ranma's usual misogyny surprisingly easy to tolerate these days, knowing now where it was coming from. Besides, she fully intended to punish the real source. She wondered what kind of wall ornament a panda hide might make.

After a few more minutes of silently watching Ranma lost in his thoughts, she tugged gently at his sleeve. "Come on, Ranma. I'm sure Dr. Toufuu can help. You know he does counseling too, along with all his medical work." She wiped her arm across the sweat beaded on her brow. "Besides, the clinic is air conditioned!"

* * *

Dr. Toufuu leaned back in his chair, removed his glasses, and began to polish them with a cloth he kept on his desk. In the background, the clinic air conditioner thrummed, laboring mightily to keep the clinic cool in the face of the blast furnace outside. Behind the blinds on the windows, intense light flared, as if the heat were trying to break its way in.

On the other side of his desk were Ranma and Akane, and on the desk lay the same set of documents that Akane had displayed at the Nekohanten. He replaced his glasses, trying to keep his expression neutral, but couldn't help sighing. He was worried about Ranma's ability to cope with this.

He had always thought that Ranma's intense focus on martial arts had left him a somewhat one-dimensional individual, without a full range of interests, friends, and activities. Ranma's lack of a well-rounded personality might cause him even more difficulty in working through this challenge to his identity. Dr. Toufuu now suspected that that intense focus was a direct result of the trauma that Ranma—Ranko—had suffered as a child.

"Ranma, I'm truly sorry to hear that your father did such a terrible thing to you. I can't imagine why a father would do something like this to his child, no matter how much he may have wanted a son." Dr. Toufuu's voice took on a hard edge. "I must have a word with Saotome-san when he reappears."

Akane added, "You and me both, Doctor."

Ranma listened silently to all of this. He took a deep breath, as he prepared to talk about his innermost feelings for the third time today. At least it was getting a little easier. He wondered if he would ever be able to regain the stoicism he had had before this crisis… or if he even wanted to.

"Doc… this… this ain't all I wanted to talk to you about."

Dr. Toufuu's eyebrow raised. "I can't say I'm surprised. What else did you want to discuss? I'll try to help, if I can."

Ranma looked at Akane again, and once more drew strength from the quiet smile he found there. Maybe one good thing about this whole situation was that it seemed that the bad parts of their relationship were sloughing off, disappearing, leaving something wonderfully solid behind. "I… even before I found this out, I… I had some feelings… about… about bein' a guy." He swallowed nervously. "Akane says I oughta talk 'em over with you."

Dr. Toufuu gently encouraged him. "Yes, Ranma? Go ahead."

Ranma paused. "Uh, well, uh… I… I told Akane that the reason I was proud'a bein' a guy was… I told her that bein' a guy was much harder than bein' a girl, that it was hard to be manly in all things, the way Pop always said I should be. I… I had told Pop about how hard it was, and he said that's why we can be proud we're men, 'cause it's tough. Akane said, ummm, she… she wasn't sure that… that feelin' that way was… normal?" Ranma looked at Dr. Toufuu, a plea for contradiction in his eyes.

Dr. Toufuu paused for a long moment, as if considering Ranma's words very carefully. "Ranma, I have to agree with Akane. I don't think it's normal at all. Most people are quite comfortable with either being a man or a woman. I certainly don't feel that being a man is hard. I am glad I am a man, and so are most other men."

Ranma's head was buzzing, and he looked down once more. At least he couldn't see the floor, thanks to Dr. Toufuu's desk. He was getting tired of floors. He had been expecting this answer, but that didn't make him any happier to hear it.

"What about your cursed form, or should I say your true form, Ranma? How do you feel about that?"

Akane and Ranma exchanged quick, surprised glances. It seemed that Dr. Toufuu had some understanding of how Ranma felt, even though he hadn't heard the full story yet. Ranma felt better about talking to Dr. Toufuu; it seemed as if it might be something he was familiar with.

"Well, one of the first things I noticed after gettin' cursed was… was how much easier it felt. It didn't feel hard at all, not like bein' a man was. And… after a while… I… I started to like it… and now I feel like… like I want to s-stay that way… and… like I _should_ stay that way. I thought it was the curse makin' me feel like that, but… but we talked to Cologne, and she says… she says it don't work that way." Again he looked Dr. Toufuu in the eye, his gaze questioning, hoping to be rescued from the corner he felt himself being backed into.

Dr. Toufuu sighed. "Cologne is quite right, Ranma. The curse usually causes discomfort, not comfort and happiness. If you are having those feelings, they are because of the way you feel, not because of the curse."

Ranma closed his eyes. He had been afraid this would be the answer, afraid this was the direction things were heading; he had just hoped he was wrong. He opened his eyes again. "But why? Why should I feel this way? I'm a man! I'm proud'a bein' a man! I know I was a girl when I was little, but that don't matter any more! It was years ago!"

Dr. Toufuu shook his head. "It matters a lot, Ranma. You were born a normal girl, and you spent the first four years or so of your life as a girl. Those are very formative years, and you cannot shake off their influence, no matter how many years pass." He looked Ranma directly in the eye. "Ranma, I think the reason you feel uncomfortable about being a boy, and have feelings of wanting to be a girl and finding life easier that way, may well be because you _are_ a girl. You may have been raised as a boy, you may think of yourself as a boy and act like one, but there are many fundamental differences between boys and girls and you can't just grow out of them. Having a normal male body and a normal male brain thanks to Happousai's magic probably helps mask that somewhat, but the influence of your early years is still there. And when you regained your female form, the feelings would be amplified considerably."

Ranma stared back at Dr. Toufuu. "Are… are you sure about that? I barely remember bein' a girl!"

Dr. Toufuu nodded. "Look at Ukyou, Ranma. She has been raised as a boy almost from the same age. Granted, she has always had her female body, but despite all those years of her father pressuring her to be more masculine, she's still a girl, and she still wants to be a girl. Does she like living her life as a boy?" Ranma shook his head. "Ranma, you are in a similar situation. When you are in female form, you are in exactly the same situation."

Fear blossomed again in Ranma's eyes. He looked at Dr. Toufuu as if he were Death incarnate, come to take Ranma's life away, and replace it with… who knows what. "But… but Doc… are you sayin' that I oughta be a girl? Just 'cause I used to be one when I was little? I… I don't think I can do that!" Sweat broke out on his forehead, despite the air conditioning in the clinic.

Dr. Toufuu shook his head. "No, Ranma. I'm saying that the thing you need to do is to decide how to live your life so you will be happy and well adjusted, so you can live a meaningful, full life. Only you can decide how to do that. Given your history, there may well be problems for you either way. All I am trying to do is encourage you to consider all your options." Ranma was speechless as he considered the doctor's words.

Akane turned to Ranma. "Ranma, are you happy?"

He looked at her in surprise. "Wh-what?"

"Are you happy? Do you enjoy life? Do you like who and what you are, are you comfortable with yourself? Do you like what you do every day? Do you have friends who like you for who you are? Everyone needs these things to be happy."

Ranma's eyes were wide, and his mouth hung open. Such a simple question. "No…" he whispered in reply.

"Do you like being a boy? Never mind being proud of it, never mind how noble you think it is, never mind what your father wanted. Do _you_ _like_ it? Are you glad you are a boy, the way Dr. Toufuu says he is glad he is a man? The way I am glad I am a girl?"

Ranma had a haunted look in his eyes, and tears started to collect in the corners. "No…" he whispered again.

Akane turned to Dr. Toufuu again, with pleading in her gaze of a different sort. Dr. Toufuu nodded slightly, and spoke.

"Ranma, have you given any thought to becoming Ranko again, being a girl?"

Ranma was silent for several minutes, his cheeks tinged slightly red. Dr. Toufuu and Akane watched and waited, patiently. Akane couldn't imagine what Ranma must be feeling right now. She felt like crying for him.

Ranma finally spoke. "Yes… Yes, I thought about it… but…" he trailed off.

Dr. Toufuu again gently encouraged him to continue. "But what, Ranma? What do you think about it?"

Ranma looked thoughtful. "Well, Pop always said girls were stupid, and weak, and just got in men's way." He looked at Akane. "I guess… I guess since he lied about so much, he… he probably lied about that, too." Akane smiled. "But… but I thought that way for so long, I… I dunno if I can shake that off. I can't be a girl if I look down on girls. How can I be happy that way?"

Dr. Toufuu smiled. "That's very perceptive of you Ranma. You _have_ thought about this." He sat back in his chair. "Were there other things?"

Ranma dropped his eyes again. "Yes…" he whispered. Dr. Toufuu didn't press, giving Ranma the time he needed to gather his words. Ranma had never said these words prior to the last few days; he had been ashamed to ever utter them. But considering the maelstrom he was engulfed in, he thought… it was probably natural. He hated to admit it, but it was true.

"I'm… I'm scared." He swallowed again. "I'm scared about bein' a girl. I… I don't really know what it's like, even though I pretended a few times. I don't know if I'll like it. I'm afraid everyone I know will make fun of me, that I won't have any friends." Fear showed itself in Ranma's eyes. "What if I become a girl, and it's worse? What could I do then?" He shrank into his chair, his eyes dropping again. Akane scooted over and once more put her arm around him. He let out a sigh; he never would have imagined that could be so comforting.

Dr. Toufuu thought for a few moments. "Ranma, summer break is coming up, isn't it? School will be out for four weeks after this week, won't it?"

Ranma looked up. "Uh, yeah, but…" What was Toufuu getting at?

"You'll have four weeks where you won't have to interact much with your schoolmates. Why not try spending that time as Ranko? Stay away from the usual places you go, try going other places, and you won't run into people you know. Even if you do, you've posed as a girl before, so they'll think you're just doing it again for some reason. Spend four weeks as Ranko, and see how you feel about it, see how it goes. If you don't like it, we can talk more about what else you could do. If you do like it, you can try going to school that way and see how that feels."

Ranma shook his head. "I can't ever imagine goin' to school as a girl! What'll everyone say?"

Dr. Toufuu shook his head. "Don't worry about that now. If you like being Ranko, if you decide you want to stay that way, then I am sure we can work something out. I'll talk it over with you when and if that happens."

Ranma was lost in thought. "I… I still dunno if I can do this…"

Dr. Toufuu smiled. "Just think about it. No one is going to force you to do something you don't want to do. This is all about what you want and what makes you happy. Again, I'm just trying to get you to consider all the options, and not make assumptions based on what your father taught you. It's not his life we're discussing here." Ranma nodded slowly.

Akane added under her breath, "That's what _you_ think."

"And Ranma?"

Ranma gave his full attention to Dr. Toufuu. "What, Doc?"

"Try to work on overcoming some of that anti-female propaganda your father pumped you full of. You're absolutely right, it would make it hard for you to be happy as a girl. Actually, it's a liability even if you stay a man; it would make it nearly impossible to relate to women well." He gave a meaningful glance towards Akane, and Ranma blushed slightly. "You will have to make an active effort to overcome your father's influence if you want to have the best chance at finding happiness."

Ranma nodded his head again, with some confidence this time. "You're… you're right, Doc." He smiled. "Thanks. I… I never expected talkin' about this could help so much. I… I really appreciate it."

Dr. Toufuu gave both of them a warm smile. "You're very welcome, Ranma. I hope that this helps you to be happier than you are right now, no matter what you decide. Now, if you'll excuse me, I think I have a patient waiting. I hope you don't mind if I kick the two of you out?" He grinned, and Ranma and Akane grinned as well.

Ranma felt better about this whole mess than he had since it started. Having Akane and Dr. Toufuu on his side made him feel like maybe this challenge could be met, after all.

With the documents once more tucked away in the cardboard box under Akane's arm, she and Ranma left the clinic, leaving Dr. Toufuu behind, deep in thought. He didn't remember to call in his next patient for several minutes.

* * *

The children were definitely flagging in the heat as Ranma and Akane detoured through the park on the way home to the Tendou Dojo. Ranma, feeling a bit overwhelmed by airing his most secret feelings to so many people that day, wanted to take a break before repeating the process with the Tendous.

They had been lucky to find a bench in the shade, next to a small fountain. Ranma eyed the fountain warily, but decided there was no way the water could reach that far. They spent several minutes watching the few hardy souls who still tried to be active in the midafternoon heat. There were a few children left; it was not clear how they avoided collapsing from the heat. Every now and then a runner would jog past, perspiring profusely, their clothes drenched. Once, an elderly gentleman came walking by with his cane, immaculately dressed in a suit. He nodded his head as he passed, and the ghost of a smile passed his lips.

Ranma was oblivious to all of this; he was far, far away. Akane studied his face. Right now he looked as male as ever, but Akane wondered what had been going on in Ranma's head the whole time she had known him. She had thought he was a macho jerk, insensitive, hardly ever opening his mouth except to put his foot in it. But this was a façade, Akane now knew. She still remembered the day they met, when Akane had thought Ranma was a somewhat shy but friendly girl. That image had been shattered in the bath that night.

For a long time, Akane had been furious at the perceived deception, but every now and then—and today in particular—a different person had peeked out from behind the bravado, someone not unlike the girl she had thought she met. Who was Ranma, really? Akane had seen vulnerability in Ranma since this whole affair had started. Was it new, or had it been there all along, hidden away? She wondered what person would be revealed when all was said and done. She was pretty sure that, male or female, it would not be the same Ranma she had known. She prayed that person would be happy.

She waved her hand in front of his face. "Hello! Earth to Ranma!"

Ranma started, then grinned sheepishly. "Sorry, Akane. I… I guess I got a lot to think about these days…"

"Have you reached any conclusions?"

Ranma drooped a little. "Nope. I'm still goin' round in circles."

Akane frowned. "Ranma, are you seriously considering Dr. Toufuu's idea? About trying out life as Ranko?"

Ranma looked sad. "Yeah, well, I guess so, but I still don't think it's gonna work out. I mean, how could someone like me enjoy livin' as a girl? Can you see me wearin' dresses, and goin' shoppin', and gigglin'?"

Akane shook her head. "Ranma, is that what you think life as a girl is about?"

Ranma looked pensive. "I… I guess I dunno, do I? What life as a girl is like." He looked off into the distance again.

"There's really only one way to find out, you know."

Ranma snapped, "Why are you so anxious for me to try it?"

Akane held her temper with some effort. Ranma was lashing out because he was upset. She could not keep a little fire out of her voice, though. "Ranma, if you had said you hated being a girl and loved being a boy, we wouldn't be having this conversation. No matter who you were when you were born, of course you'd live as a boy if you felt that way.

"But that's not how you feel, is it? You said you don't like being a boy, that it makes you unhappy. You said that you feel more comfortable as a girl. I don't understand why you're so reluctant to try it when it sounds like it might make you happy! I don't like seeing you unhappy…"

Ranma turned to look at Akane, and held her gaze for a few moments. Akane saw the uncertainty and fear there. "'Cause if I become a girl I won't be me any more! I'll be someone else, a different person. That's scary, Akane!"

Akane didn't have an easy answer to that.

They both stared at the scenery for a few minutes. A flock of birds, apparently unfazed by the heat, landed on the edge of the fountain and began to take advantage of the cool water.

Akane turned back to Ranma. "Ranma, I… I know it's scary. But, do you really want to be unhappy for the rest of your life for the sake of staying the person you are now? Is it worth it? I am _not_ anxious for you to become a girl. I am anxious for you to be happy. You've already said you aren't. I don't know if being a girl will make you happy or not, Ranma, but are you willing to write that option off without even trying it? Suppose that's the only way you'll ever be happy?" Akane looked close to tears.

Ranma looked contrite. "You're… you're right, Akane. I… I'm thinkin' about it. It just scares the pants off me…" Ranma trailed off while looking at Akane, who was giggling. "What'd I say?"

Between giggles, Akane said "Scares the pants off you?"

Ranma started chuckling himself. "I guess I didn't mean it that…"

Suddenly, there was the sound of young feet running full tilt down the path. A boyish form went flying through the air, accompanied by an incoherent yell of joy; birds scattered every which way in a blind panic, chittering angrily at the rude interruption, and a gusher of water erupted as the small body landed in the fountain.

A woman in her twenties came running down the path moments later. "Aki? Aki, how many times have I told you not to do that! Look what you did to this poor girl!"

The woman turned to the drenched redhead sitting on the bench, wondering briefly why her friend was laughing uncontrollably, and was also curiously dry. "I'm terribly sorry, Miss. Are you all right?"

"Oh," said Ranma in a flat voice, "Oh yes. I am just fine, thank you."

Akane erupted into another laughing fit, and Ranma couldn't help but smile.

* * *

It was getting on towards dinner time at the Tendou Dojo, although the sun was far from the horizon. The first hint of a cooling off was starting to be felt. Kasumi was working on dinner, and wondering where Akane and Ranma were; she had expected them long ago based on Auntie Saotome's phone call.

Nabiki was out, no doubt finding an air-conditioned reprieve somewhere. Kasumi was sure she would be back in time for dinner. Father had left on a trip, leaving a note behind.

Kasumi sighed. She didn't quite know what to make of this whole situation. Auntie Saotome's story seemed almost too fantastic to believe, even with Happousai's confirmation. Then again, Jusenkyou had seemed too fantastic to believe at first, hadn't it?

She thought about Ranma. Was he really a girl? He certainly didn't act like one, but Kasumi supposed that was due to his upbringing. Could Uncle Saotome really be so heartless as to have done such a thing to his own daughter? Kasumi knew he had his faults, but didn't think it was possible. She was at a loss to explain any of this. She sighed and turned her attention back to dinner.

Some minutes later, the front door slid open, and Nabiki's call of "Tadaima!" floated down the hall. Kasumi called back "O-kaeri!". Moments later, Nabiki ducked into the kitchen.

"Hey, Oneechan, where is everyone? Aren't the girls back yet?" Nabiki snickered.

Kasumi sighed. "No, I haven't heard from them. Auntie said they left early this morning, right after breakfast. They should have been back by now." She thought a moment more. "You might not want to call them that to their faces. I know they are both a bit confused by what's happened recently."

Nabiki rolled her eyes. "Where's the fun in that?" She went to sit at the table. "By the way, where's Daddy?"

Kasumi paused. "He… he left earlier while I was out shopping. He left a note saying that he was going to try to find Uncle Saotome. I know that Father misses him terribly. He said in the note that he wants to bring him back."

Nabiki considered that. "I don't think it would be very healthy for Uncle Saotome to drop in right now. Even if pandas are an endangered species."

Kasumi didn't think there was much to add to that.

She was still working on dinner, and Nabiki reading a financial magazine, when both heard the gate open and the sounds of two girls talking. A moment later, the front door opened again.

Both called out "Tadaima!" at the same time, and Kasumi and Nabiki responded. A moment later they came into the kitchen. Ranma was slightly damp, which undoubtedly explained why she was a girl at the moment; she was also looking unusually somber. Nabiki looked up from her magazine long enough to say "About time we saw you…"—her eyes flicked in Kasumi's direction for a moment—"guys." She went back to her magazine.

Kasumi turned away from the dinner preparations for a moment. "Where have you two been all day? I was expecting you much earlier. You're both certainly old enough, but it would have been nice to call and let me know you would be late."

Akane turned a little red. "Sorry, Oneechan. We were out visiting some people today."

Nabiki raised an eyebrow but appeared to still be engrossed in her magazine.

"Oh?" said Kasumi, as she turned her attentions back to dinner, which was nearly ready. "That's nice! Whom did you visit?"

Ranma and Akane exchanged glances. Ranma spoke. "Dr. Toufuu, and… ummm… the N-nekohanten."

Nabiki's eyes were still on the magazine, but they were not seeing the print on the page.

Kasumi stopped. "The Nekohanten? Really? Why there? And why did you visit Dr. Toufuu? Is one of you ill?" She was watching both of them.

Ranma and Akane exchanged glances again. Akane shook her head. "No, Oneechan, no one's sick. We… we have a lot to talk about." She looked at Ranma, who nodded uncertainly. Nabiki frowned behind her magazine.

"Oh dear," said Kasumi, "Dinner will be ready soon. It sounds important, but I don't think dinner will keep well. Would you mind waiting until right after we eat?"

Ranma piped up quickly. "Wait? No problem at all."

* * *

By the end of dinner, all three sisters' attention was focused on Ranma. The confident, arrogant young man they all knew was gone, leaving someone who seemed lost, in distress, and—unthinkable!—helpless. She sat and picked morosely at her food, and Kasumi knew that something was very wrong: Ranma rarely ate at speeds visible to the human eye, much less showed a lack of appetite. Nabiki looked for the young man she knew in the redhead's eyes, and had trouble finding him. She was anxious for dinner to be over, to find out what had happened today. Akane thought back over all the times when Ranma had rescued her, and prayed that she would be able to return the favor. She had hoped that the familiar surroundings would cheer Ranma, but her mood seemed to darken at unpredictable times.

Eventually, the dishes were cleared, and Ranma felt the moment of her execution drawing nearer. She hoped for sympathy and understanding from Kasumi, but she was not looking forward to the reaction from Nabiki, much less Tendou-san when he returned. She hoped he was unsuccessful in his mission, as she did not feel ready to face her father on top of everything else she was going through right now. She didn't know if she would kill him, or grab onto him and not let go.

Akane stood from the table. "Kasumi-neechan, Nabiki-neechan, Ranma and I have some things we need to discuss with you." She glanced at Ranma, who looked miserable.

Nabiki's pulse quickened. She hated secrets, and she was about to find out what was going on here.

Soon they were settled in the Tendou living room, which was sparsely furnished. A TV stood at one end, and there were cushions positioned in front of it. There was a small sofa, and a couple of upholstered chairs. Some Western art hung on the wall; Impressionist, from the look of it. The shogi table at which Souun and Genma played their games stood mutely in a corner, neglected.

Akane sat on the sofa next to Ranma, holding her hand, the two of them facing Akane's sisters. Kasumi looked sympathetic and supportive, while Nabiki's face showed the same passive expression she always had.

Ranma summoned her courage. "Uhhh… well… when… when we were at my Mom's house, uh, she… she showed us a buncha stuff, videos and pictures and things. They… it… it's pretty clear that when I was born I was a… a girl." She dropped her head. She was already very familiar with the Tendou living room floor, having had her face pounded into it countless times; it was like looking at an old friend.

Kasumi glanced at Nabiki, who retained her aloof expression, then spoke. "Ranma-kun, I… I know this must be hard for you to find out, but does it really matter to you, here and now? After all, you don't even remember it, do you, so it doesn't have to affect your life today. Just because you were born a girl doesn't mean you're not a boy now." She smiled sympathetically, but was surprised when Ranma winced and turned red.

"Ummm… well, I… I kinda do remember it, uhhh, a little, sorta." She stopped. Akane squeezed her hand, and she continued, "Some of the pictures at my Mom's house sorta… sorta jogged my memory. I… I remember bein' a girl, just… just a little."

Nabiki still had the bored expression on her face, but her eyes never left Ranma.

Kasumi was taken aback. "I… I see. Well, still, that doesn't mean you have to change who you are now, does it? I know you are a boy now, and you can certainly stay that way. Just because you were born a girl…" Kasumi trailed off as Ranma's face turned beet red, and she looked horribly embarrassed. Ranma lowered her head again.

Kasumi spoke gently. "Ranma-kun, what's wrong? You can tell us. What is bothering you so much?"

Ranma lifted her head and made an effort to speak, but just couldn't. Akane let go of her hand and hugged Ranma, a move that startled Kasumi, and nearly caused Nabiki's façade to fracture. What was going on here? How had the relationship between these two changed so much so quickly?

Ranma took a deep breath. She said in a quiet voice, "I… I'm not sure… I… I wanna… stay a… boy."

* * *

Two hours later, they were all watching Nodoka's home video of Ranko-chan and Akane-chan's tea party. Kasumi and Nabiki watched in rapt fascination, Nabiki losing her battle to keep her feelings hidden. As seven-year-old Kasumi walked on screen, Kasumi started a little. Her eyes began darting between the red-haired girl on the screen, and the red-haired girl sitting in her living room. Nabiki noticed, and watched her continue this until the video reached its end.

There was silence for a few moments. Then, Kasumi spoke. "It… it was you all along, wasn't it? I remember now, just a little. When… when you came here I had this feeling I had seen you before, but I couldn't place where. It was so odd. When your father said you had only had that female form for two weeks, that you were a boy, I figured you must just look like someone I knew." She drew a deep breath. "Oh… Ranko-chan… I… I had no idea it was you…" Ranma looked startled at being called Ranko-chan; there was confusion in her eyes. Kasumi's eyes cast about, as if she were trying to figure out what to do next. "Would, would anyone like some tea?"

There were some quiet replies, and Kasumi went off to the kitchen, leaving everyone to their thoughts. A few minutes later, she returned with a tray. She handed out cups, and poured tea for everyone. She sat and sipped her own for a few moments to compose her thoughts.

"I… I didn't make the connection before, even after your mother called you Ranko, but watching that video brings back memories. Ranko-chan, you… you were so close to us, like a baby sister. Especially to Akane; you two were like twins, inseparable. You slept over at each other's houses constantly, you even shared the same futon. Our parents were so happy that you two continued the close ties between our families."

She paused for a few moments, eyes unfocused, before taking another sip of tea. "I remember, we gave you a little rag doll for your birthday once; I think it had a peasant dress and a straw bonnet. You were so happy, and you named it after me!" Ranma's eyes bulged slightly, but she said nothing.

Kasumi's voice became somber, and tears gathered in her eyes. "Then… then suddenly, your family stopped visiting. Mother and Father never told us why we never saw the Saotomes any more. Akane was beside herself; she cried for you for weeks. N-not long after, Mother's illness worsened, and she died, and we were all swept up in our grief." All three sisters looked grim, and for a short while, no one said anything.

Kasumi sighed, and took another sip of tea before continuing, "We were all so young, and Mother's death was just so overwhelming to us, we… we just forgot about you." Her eyes grew more watery. She glanced over at Nabiki, who had regained her composure and was laconic as always. "Even now, I don't remember very much, and Akane and Nabiki were even younger. The thing I remember most, though, is how close you and Akane were. You couldn't have been closer if you had truly been twins." Tears started to spill down her cheeks. "Oh, Ranko-chan, I'm… I'm so sorry for you."

Ranma was looking back at Kasumi, agony written on her face. Kasumi went over to where she was sitting, and gave her a hug as well. "I'll help you through this, Ranko-chan. No matter what you decide. I'm… I'm so sorry."

To her own surprise, tears were starting to fall from Ranma's eyes, too; this was just too much, too overwhelming. Not just a girl, but like a sister to Akane and the others? Akane's twin sister? Who… who was she, really? Who was this other person she had been? Where had that person gone; was she still inside Ranma, somewhere? She let Kasumi and Akane hold her as she started to cry in earnest, sobbing quietly in their embrace.

What was happening to her? Saotome Ranma, man amongst men, would never have cried like this, would never have opened up his feelings. She felt that in acknowledging her feelings about her gender, she had opened Pandora's box, and things would never be the same. A part of her was screaming to fight this, to hide her feelings, but… but she didn't really want to, and she simply couldn't. Not any more. Kasumi, in her loving sympathy, had unwittingly taken a sledgehammer to her crumbling emotional control.

After a time, she stopped crying, and for a while they just sat, each lost in her own thoughts. Nabiki finally spoke. "So, Ranma, where does this leave us? Are you going to do as Dr. Toufuu suggests?"

Fear blossomed once again in Ranma's eyes. "I… m-maybe. I… I just don't know." She swallowed, but didn't say the words she had said to Akane and Dr. Toufuu. She wasn't ready to say those words in front of anyone else yet. She was still too ashamed to admit that she was terrified, frightened worse than she had ever been in her life, except for the Nekoken training.

Nabiki stood up and stretched. "Well, this has been quite an evening. All this angst has worn me out, and I am going to take a quick bath and turn in." She headed for the bath.

Ranma stood as well. "Akane, I… I think I need to take a walk. I'm too wired to sleep, and I need to calm down." She smiled a fragile smile. "I'll… I'll be back soon, don't worry." She slowly walked to the genkan, put on her shoes, and stepped out the front door.

Akane and Kasumi sat there in somewhat of a daze for a few moments. Kasumi finally spoke. "Akane, I know I seem naïve about some things, but I understand people and their feelings very well. What is Ranko-chan so frightened about?"

Akane bit her lip. "Oneechan, I… I think she really wants to be a girl again. She told you how she feels earlier. But she's terrified. She's been a boy so long, she's forgotten what it's like being a girl, and it scares her; she's so used to being a boy even though she doesn't like it." Tears started to form in her eyes. "And… and it's eating her up! She wants to try Dr. Toufuu's idea, but she's so scared, and she's suffered so much, and she hated being a boy the whole time! The whole time! All those years, and she wasn't even happy! And that damned father of hers was pounding her to be a 'man amongst men' the whole time! What kind of a life has she had? I… I thought I knew who Ranma was, but none of us did. Inside that obnoxious, macho shell, he was hurting, hurting for so long…" She started sobbing, and Kasumi moved to hold her. Akane buried her head in Kasumi's shoulder and cried. "She's so unhappy, and it's tearing me up…"

Kasumi held Akane and stroked her hair for a few minutes.

"Akane," said Kasumi gently, "you know we musn't push Ranko-chan into this. You and I may think we understand what she is going through, what she needs, but we can't be sure, and she has to make her own decisions."

Akane sniffled a bit, and wiped her face. "I know, Oneechan. I… I figured this out this morning, when she told me how she felt about being a boy, and about being a girl. She kept saying she 'had to be a man', not that she wanted to be one. I didn't think there could possibly be any girl left in her after twelve years, but… but I realized then that there is, and knowing that she had spent that whole time that way was just so awful…"

Akane paused for a moment. "I knew I couldn't tell her any of that; it would just frighten her even more. I… I think she knows what she wants to do, but she won't let herself, because it's too scary. It's like those animals who have been caged so long, when the door is unlocked and left open, they cower inside. They're too afraid to come out." She sighed. "I… I hope she figures out how she feels about this soon. She's starting to get really anxious and depressed, and she's having trouble coping. It's like the Ranma we knew is crumbling away, and… and there isn't a new Ranma yet who is ready to stand on her own two feet. I'm sure people are going to notice how different Ranma is when she's… he's at school tomorrow."

Nabiki returned from her bath; it must have been short indeed. She quickly turned the corner and climbed the stairs, quietly calling out "O-yasumi." A chorus of "O-yasumi" followed her up.

Kasumi said, "We'll just have to deal with that as it comes. You'll be there with her, thank goodness for that." She stood up, and took Akane's hand. "Come on, dear. This has been a rough day for both of you. You need to rest."

Akane nodded, "I want to wait up until Ranma comes back. I want to make sure she's feeling OK."

Kasumi smiled, "I'll wait with you, but why don't you go take your bath?" She tugged on Akane's hand, and Akane nodded and headed for the bath.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Akane was sitting in the living room in her pajamas, her hair damp, reading a magazine and waiting for Ranma to come home. Kasumi was doing needlepoint, and noticed that she didn't have one of the colors of thread she needed. She sighed, put down her work, and headed up the stairs to her room to fetch it.

As she passed Nabiki's room, she stopped short. There were soft crying sounds coming from inside. Kasumi stood there for a few moments, then knocked on the door. "Nabiki? It's me, Kasumi." The crying stopped, but there was no other sign from inside.

After a minute, Nabiki opened the door. Her usual composure was in tatters: her eyes were red, her chin was quivering, and misery was written on her face. Kasumi's jaw dropped, but she quickly regained her senses. Taking Nabiki firmly by the hand, she pulled her into the room, closing the door behind them.

She and Nabiki sat down on the bed. "Nabiki, dear, what's wrong? Why are you crying? You seemed so calm earlier!"

Nabiki looked grim. "Horror movies always did make me cry. That's why I stopped going to see them."

Kasumi was confused. "Horror movies? Did you see a horror movie that frightened you recently?"

Nabiki seemed angry. "I saw a horror movie tonight! You know, one of those horrible, unsettling ones where someone morphs into something else, becomes some other thing. Tonight, I saw an obnoxious boy I knew, who I loved to tease and take advantage of, slowly change into a terrified, hurting, lonely girl, while I watched." She gulped. "A girl… a girl I once knew but don't remember, who… who was like a little sister to me." She looked at Kasumi for a moment. "And… and it was all in my head. Ranma didn't really change, but how she looked to me did. And that wasn't the end of the horror movie in my head. I also saw that girl being tortured for over a decade by a sadistic bastard who was supposed to be her father." Kasumi was speechless.

Nabiki drew a shaky breath, and laughed. "I know everyone thinks I'm 'the Ice Queen'. I didn't ask for it, but the reputation helps my business, so it's OK with me. But… but every once in a while, something comes along… like… like Mom dying," she swallowed, "something that overwhelms me, and… and I guess I get a chance to remind myself that I'm still a human being." She shuddered. "I… I didn't think one human being could do to another what Ranko's father did to her. It even horrified cynical li'l old me." She managed a shaky smile. "Don't worry about me, I'll be back to business as usual by tomorrow."

Kasumi moved wordlessly to enfold Nabiki in a hug, and, with a shuddering gasp, Nabiki accepted it and started sobbing again. Kasumi held her for a few minutes, then from downstairs came the sound of the front door and a cry of "Tadaima!", followed by Akane's "O-kaeri!"

Nabiki broke her embrace with Kasumi. "Don't you dare let them see me like this! Tell them I'm asleep already. Go on, I'm all right now."

Kasumi nodded, and quickly left the room. She walked back downstairs, finding Ranma talking quietly with Akane. She took a closer look. Ranma didn't seem much better after her walk; she still had the haunted look about her eyes.

Kasumi spoke. "You both have school tomorrow. Considering how hard today was, I think you should get to sleep. Nabiki is asleep already." Ranma and Akane nodded quietly, and Akane headed for her room, exchanging her good-nights with the others. Ranma walked down the hall to the bath.

After dropping her clothes in the laundry and proceeding inside, Ranma was about to start washing when she happened to glance in the mirror, and froze. A red-haired girl was looking back at her. She had seen that girl hundreds of times, but now she saw something different. That girl had always been a fraud, a mask that cloaked her true, male self. She wasn't a real girl, just an illusion.

Now, with what she had learned about herself in the past few days, Ranma couldn't say that any more. She looked at the redhead, and knew that this person, this _girl_, was the person she would have been had her father not done what he did. What would she have been like, she wondered. Would she have had girlfriends, including Akane? Would she love to wear dresses and makeup? Would she have a boyfriend? Would she never have learned martial arts? Would she have learned other things instead? What would have happened?

And could it all still happen?

She walked slowly up to the mirror, never taking her eyes from the girl looking back at her. She had abused this girl almost as much as her father had; now, she had to face her as a real person, someone who had had her life taken away from her. "I'm sorry…" she said to her reflection. "I'm so sorry…"

As she approached the mirror, she lifted her arm and reached out her hand towards the reflection. The girl in the mirror did likewise, and their fingertips met at the glass.

"Who are you?" whispered Ranma.

* * *

End Chapter 2

Thursday, September 7, 2000

**Copyright Notice**

The characters and stories of Ranma ½ are Copyright © Rumiko Takahashi, and are used here without permission or license.

No claims to the above copyright are made by the author of this work.

This work is for non-commercial use ONLY, and is produced for the enjoyment of fans only.

This work is the expression of the author and the depiction of the Ranma ½ characters herein are in no way represented to be a part of Ranma ½ as depicted by the original author and copyright holder(s).


	3. Chapter 3: This is Me

Genma's Daughter

By ClassicalGal

Original concept and parts of chapter 1 by Nesin Evets

Chapter 3: "This is me"

* * *

Ranma stepped to the sink to wash up. He was in between classes and alone in the boy's restroom. He needed to hurry to be on time to his next class and avoid bucket duty. As he finished washing his hands, he looked up to the mirror and gasped. A red-haired girl was looking back at him. He looked down, and she was indeed female. How had that happened? The water wasn't nearly cold enough, and she had _definitely_ been male a few seconds ago.

As she was wondering she also noticed that she was wearing her Fuurinkan High School girl's uniform. Her frown deepened. What was going on?

Suddenly the door swung open and Ranma cringed, anticipating the teasing she would get from the boys when they saw her like this. She was surprised to see several girls walk in. What were they doing in the boy's room?

The girls noticed her. "You pervert! What are you doing in _our_ restroom?"

Ranma looked around. Sure enough, she seemed to be in the girl's room. "I… I don't know…"

The girls began to grow angry. "You don't belong in here! You're not a real girl!"

Ranma began to cry. "But… but I _am_ a real girl!" Had she really meant to say that? Why was she crying?

"No you're not! You're just a sick pervert! Get out!"

Ranma ran crying from the girl's room, and her schoolmates lined the hallways. They were all taunting "Pervert, pervert!" as she ran, not caring where she was going. Suddenly the bell began to ring signaling the next period; Ranma's tormentors disappeared as the world began to melt and shift, and the ringing of the school bell became his alarm clock.

Ranma sighed and turned over on his futon, switching off his alarm. The tears from his dream appeared to be real enough; he wiped his eyes. He was not looking forward to school today.

None of the Tendou sisters commented on the slight redness about Ranma's eyes when he came down to breakfast. Ranma ate mechanically, shoveling his food in, not really paying attention. In due course, he and Akane were off to Fuurinkan, Nabiki having left a few minutes earlier.

Ranma walked on the sidewalk, next to Akane, rather than on the fence as he usually did. He wanted to stay closer to her than he usually was. Besides, the fence was for Saotome Ranma, man amongst men, the great martial artist. Ranma wasn't quite sure who he was these days, but didn't feel much like _that_ Ranma.

Akane noticed Ranma's quiet and pensive air as they walked to school, and decided to leave him to his thoughts. He had a lot to think about. Instead of trying to engage him in conversation, she just kept an eye on him as they walked, and smiled when he glanced her way.

In plenty of time (for there had been no arguments to slow them down) they approached Fuurinkan. As they passed through the gates, they both winced; Kunou was waiting for them.

He stepped forward, bokken raised. "Saotome! Where is the pigtailed girl? What unspeakable things have you done to her?"

Akane expected Ranma's usual response, namely to pound Kunou into the dirt. Instead, Ranma had a stricken, hurt look on his face. His mouth moved, but for a while, no sounds came out. Finally, he managed "I… I… I d-didn't know… I'm sorry…" Akane drew her breath in sharply; Kunou had unwittingly hit Ranma in a place that was very sensitive right now.

"So! You finally admit to your malfeasance! Release her so that she may be mine!"

Ranma's hurt expression turned to white-hot fury in an instant. "She _hates you_! Leave her alone! _She hates you!_" Ranma's eyes started to shimmer.

Kunou smirked. "I will pledge my own troth to the fire-haired maiden, and we shall see what her fancy might be! It is none of your affair, peasant! I shall smite thee!" He charged forward.

Ranma sprang to respond, but Akane gasped as she noticed that his form was off. Ranma always kept his cool in a battle; now, he was so blinded by fury he was being very sloppy, leaving gaping holes in his defense. _Just as he always says I do_, she thought. Akane dropped her books and charged into the fight.

Kunou had been just about to catch Ranma in the side with his bokken when it was knocked out of the way by Akane's feet, which continued on to connect with his face. He went flying backwards and landed dazed, but still conscious. He slowly sat up. Ranma was breathing heavily and trying to get control of himself; he still looked enraged.

Akane took his arm gently and said, "Come on, Ranma, we need to get to class. Come on… don't let a moron like Kunou get to you."

Ranma's eyes focused, and he nodded his head, took a deep breath, and seemed to calm down. He looked at Akane, confused. "Why… why did you jump in? I… I can defend myself…" _Why ain't I gettin' angry at her?_

"Ranma, you always tell me I get too angry and leave myself wide open. That's what you were doing just now. Kunou was about to get you in the side with his bokken—hard." She looked stern. "Would you rather I let you get hurt, break a rib, maybe? I didn't want to see that happen."

He didn't know why, but Ranma's ego refused to anger him as it always did when Akane interfered in one of his fights. In the past, he had felt humiliated, embarrassed, and angry when someone interfered, especially a girl. He had always felt driven to prove himself, to take on any and all challenges, and it had felt like a slap in the face to him to have someone else fight his battles. _Why don't I care any more?_ He considered her words. "Th-thanks, Akane…"

She smiled. "You're welcome." She picked up her books, and the two continued on their way.

Kunou shook his head to clear it. He saw Ranma and Akane moving off. "Fair Akane! Why do you protect the foul sorcerer Saotome, when he has wronged you so?"

A second later, Akane was in his face, looking angrier than he had ever seen her before. She was shouting at him. "Kunou, get this through that damn thick skull of yours. _Leave… Ranma… alone!_ Do you understand? Ranma is off limits. You leave her alone! Touch her and you'll be sorry you were ever born!" Kunou's mouth hung open.

Akane walked over to Ranma and grabbed him by the arm, pulling him after her into the building.

From where they were watching at the second floor hallway window, one of Nabiki's classmates turned to her. "Nabiki, what is going on here? Why did Akane fight to protect Ranma? Why didn't he get angry? Why did she call Ranma 'her'?"

Nabiki merely raised an eyebrow in response.

Her classmate fumed. "All right, how much is it going to cost to find out?"

Nabiki quirked her mouth. "If you have to ask, you can't afford it." She walked off. Her classmates stared after her in slack-jawed amazement.

* * *

Ranma's thoughts were going in circles as he sat in English class. No matter how many times he thought about things, it always came down to the same conclusion: he couldn't go forward and he couldn't go back. He just wished he could get this out of his head for even a moment, just to have a break. Sensei's droning caught his attention, and finally he saw an escape: maybe, if he paid attention to the teacher, he could forget about his troubles for a while! He sat up in his chair and began to follow the lesson.

Ukyou hadn't seen the fight with Kunou that morning, but the school was buzzing about it. She kept an eye on Ranma and Akane throughout their classes, and was surprised to see Ranma paying attention, and Akane surreptitiously glancing his way every few minutes, concern on her face. She resolved to corner them at lunch.

Ukyou was not the only one interested in the affairs of Fuurinkan's most famous couple, and by lunchtime the gossip about the fight with Kunou and the altered behavior between Ranma and Akane was all over the school. Did this mean they were finally going to get married? Why did Ranma seem so distant, so unlike his usual self? Why wasn't Nabiki selling the answers? Eyes in the cafeteria glanced furtively in her direction as she sat eating her lunch.

Nabiki was working on her dessert when Kunou walked up. She sighed.

"Tendou Nabiki, why does the fair Akane protect the foul sorcerer Saotome, and speak of him in such a curious fashion? I would know." He offered her a wad of bills.

Nabiki was surprised to find herself becoming irritated. She always kept her cool in business transactions, even when they involved family. What was going on here? Maybe… maybe when someone in her family was hurting… hurting badly, it was different.

She shrugged. "Not interested."

Kunou was taken aback, and took out a second wad of bills. "I insist. I must know."

Nabiki eyed the proffered yen for a long time. Finally she spoke. "I will tell you in five weeks, after summer vacation. No sooner." She took a single 5000 yen note from the thick wad of cash. "This is a deposit. You can pay the rest when I tell you." Kunou looked surprised, but bowed stiffly and walked off.

Nabiki sighed again. This was just the first day. What would things be like by the end of the week?

* * *

Ranma and Akane sat eating their lunch on the grass in the cool shade of a large tree. They tried to ignore the whispers of the other students, and the furtive glances being sent their way. They both sat with their backs to the tree, next to each other, almost touching. Ranma found it a great comfort to have Akane close by. They didn't say much, but didn't need to.

As they finished eating, Ukyou walked up. Akane sighed, and Ranma looked troubled. Ukyou spoke. "Ranchan, what's going on with you two? Everyone's noticed how different you're acting." She crossed her arms and looked irritated. "If you've finally come to a decision about your fiancées, don't I deserve to know what it is?"

Ukyou felt her heart falling when she saw Ranma's face turn crimson and his eyes fall. So, it was true; he'd finally chosen Akane. She hoped desperately that she was wrong, but things were not looking good for her. She spoke again. "Well?"

Ranma opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. He looked horribly embarrassed. _How typical_, thought Ukyou. _He can't even tell me._ She was shocked when Akane reached out a hand to touch Ranma on the arm; were they already so familiar? Her heart fell further.

"Ranma… we're going to have to tell her. She deserves to know, doesn't she?" Ranma nodded shakily. She became angry as she saw the fear on his face. The coward! He didn't even have the guts to tell her without Akane pushing him.

Akane turned back to Ukyou. "Can we… can we stop by Ucchan's tonight, after you close? We… we have a lot to talk about, and I don't want to cut into your business hours. Ranma and I could sure use your help."

Ukyou's head came up suddenly. Was the situation different than she had thought? She noticed the hopeful look in Ranma's eyes as he looked at her, and noticed the despair there too. Was… was Ranma sick? Seriously ill? Was that why Akane was being so protective? Oh, Kami-sama, was he going to die? She had to find out.

"I… I don't mind losing a couple of hours of business. It won't be the first time I've closed the shop. Business doesn't really pick up until dinnertime anyway. Could… could you guys come over right after school? I… I don't think I can wait until tonight."

Akane smiled, and Ranma managed a tiny smile of his own. "Sure, Ukyou. We need to stop by home first, to pick up some… uh, things we need."

_Things?_ Ukyou thought. "Uh, sure. I'll see you after that." Akane and Ranma both nodded. Ukyou turned and walked away.

Ranma let out an explosive sigh. "Maybe I should just give an interview in the newspaper. That way, all of Tokyo could find out at once instead of one at a time." Akane giggled, and Ranma managed a smile.

* * *

Ranma hurried into the boy's room after lunch. He didn't have much time before class. A short while later, he was washing his hands, and feeling terribly unnerved by the memory of his dream that morning.

The door swung open, and Ranma jumped. He relaxed when Hiroshi, Daisuke, and some of the other boys he knew walked in. Daisuke walked up and slapped him on the back as he dried his hands. "Hey, buddy boy, smooth moves with Akane! You got her eating out of your hand now!" He stepped back when he saw Ranma getting irritated.

"It ain't like that! Me an' Akane, we're friends, OK?"

The other boys looked uncertain. "Hey, no offense, Ranma. We know you're fiancées, after all."

Ranma's face fell, and he looked… sad? "Not any more…" His eyes widened, and he clapped a hand over his mouth. "Oh, man…"

In an instant there was a crowd around him. "You mean Akane's free? Yatta!" "Did you pick Shampoo? She's so hot!" "Hey, are any of your other fiancées available?"

Ranma's face grew angry, and his friends stepped back in confusion. "Leave me alone!" he shouted, and he walked out of the restroom, leaving a confused buzz behind him. _I really put my foot in it now_, he thought.

By the next time he had a class together with Akane, this latest news had traveled all through the school as well, and she looked angry. He looked at her, sorrow in his eyes, and mouthed the words, "My big mouth. I'm sorry." Her eyes softened, and she nodded.

At the last class of the day, PE, the other boys were talking about Ranma. His performance was not up to his usual level, and he spent a lot of time looking at the girls' PE class at the opposite side of the field.

"Sheesh, he's sure distracted." "I think Akane dumped him, and she's tryin' to be nice to make up for it." "Look at him checkin' the girls out. I bet he's lookin' for a new girlfriend right now, like he don't have enough already." "Naah, he's lookin' for Akane, can't you tell heartbreak when you see it?"

All through PE, Ranma watched the girls, and wondered.

* * *

Ukyou stared at the documents and photographs in front of her, the blood rushing in her ears. Ranma and Akane were saying something, but she couldn't hear them. They stopped when she buried her face in her hands. "U-Ucchan?"

Ten years. Ten damn years of her life. Ten years spent chasing that boy. And… and he wasn't even a boy! She looked up at Akane and Ranchan, sitting across the table from her, and sure enough, Ranchan had tears in… his eyes. "Ucchan?" he asked again. "Are… are you OK? I'm… I'm really sorry…"

Damn it! Damn it damn it damn it! Her whole future, her happy life with Ranchan, the family they would raise together… down the drain. She looked at him looking back at her, and was suddenly angry.

She stood up. "Excuse me a second." She walked around the counter and past the grill, going into the back, while Ranma and Akane stared after her.

They looked at each other after she disappeared. "Ranma, do you think…?" asked Akane.

Ukyou reappeared, carrying a glass of water. She walked back past the grill, around the end of the counter, and over to the table where they were sitting. Aiming carefully to avoid getting the papers wet, she callously threw the glass of water in Ranma's face. Ranma choked and sputtered, and Akane bristled and half-stood from her chair.

Ukyou sat down, hard, and looked at the redhead glaring back at her. Suddenly she didn't feel angry any more, just tired, and very sad, and… old. When had she lost her innocence? Too damn long ago. She put her head back in her hands. "I'm really sorry, Ranchan, I… I just can't stand to look at… your boy form right now…"

Ranma's anger left her, and she slumped. She… she could understand how Ukyou felt. Akane looked back and forth between the two of them. Well, it could have gone worse…

Ukyou raised her head, and found Ranchan looking back at her, her damp face showing concern again, clumps of wet hair hanging around it. Ukyou didn't know whether to laugh at the image or to cry. Maybe both.

She sighed. "So where does this leave you, Ranchan? You can't marry any of us because you're legally a girl and your mom won't let you, but all you know is being a guy. That's just great…" she trailed off; Akane and Ranma were looking at each other.

She couldn't believe this was happening… "There's more, right? Out with it."

Ranma swallowed nervously, and Akane once more put her hand on Ranma's arm, as she had done at lunch. Ranma dropped her head, and spoke in a tiny voice. "Well, uhhh, I… I… I'm not… sure I wanna… s-stay… a… a boy…"

Akane thought Ukyou's eyes were going to pop out of her head. Ukyou felt a buzzing feeling in her head; she felt dizzy. All she could manage was "Wh-what?"

Ranma turned beet red, and her chin rested on her chest. Ukyou regained her composure somewhat. "What… what do you mean, Ranchan?"

Ranma looked up, and Ukyou saw pain and fear in her face. "U-Ucchan, I… I…" she trailed off.

Ukyou started to wonder if she was really the one who was hurting the most here. She leaned forward. "Ranchan, what's wrong? What's bothering you so much? You can tell me. We're old friends, right?"

Ranma seemed to gather strength, and Akane put an arm around her. She looked up at Ukyou again. "Ucchan, I… I kinda… kinda haven't liked bein'… a guy. Not… not ever."

Ukyou's gaze never wavered from Ranma's face. Ranma swallowed, and continued, "Dr. Toufuu says it's 'cause I was a girl when I was young, and even though I've been a guy all this time, that… that maybe… maybe I'm still a girl inside." She gave a tiny smile. "He… he said I was kinda like you." Ukyou looked as if she had seen a ghost. "U-Ucchan?"

Oh, Kami-sama, Ranchan too? That bastard, that stinking bastard, he had screwed up Ranchan's life too; even worse than hers! She hadn't thought that was possible. And on top of that, he had actually turned her into a boy! Ukyou shuddered; she definitely wasn't the one who had suffered the most from Genma. Thank Kami-sama that her father hadn't known Happousai. Ukyou felt an icy chill run up her spine. _It could have happened to me…_

She looked back at the red-haired girl across the table from her, the person who had tried _so_ hard to be a friend to her, and Akane, and even Shampoo, but who had been flustered, uncomfortable, and at a loss due to the romantic attentions Ukyou and the others had showered on… her. Ukyou quirked her mouth. _I guess Ranchan doesn't swing that way… Best not to raise __**that**__ subject right now…_ She looked back with sympathy. "What are you going to do, Ranchan?"

Ranma shook her head. "I… I dunno. Dr. Toufuu says I should try bein' Ranko again over summer break, to see what it's like, to see if… if I like it better. But… but…" Fear showed in her eyes again, and she stopped speaking.

"I… I think that's a good idea, Ranchan. If you want to, of course." Ukyou tried to sound supportive, though things were not going in a direction she liked. As badly as she was hurt by this, Ranchan was clearly hurting more. She had lost a fiancé, but Ranchan had lost his… her identity.

Encouraged, Akane spoke out. "Ukyou, Kasumi tells us that Ranko… Ranma and I were close, like twins, way back then. I… I guess that's why I love her so, even though the engagement always made us both uncomfortable." Ranma smiled at Akane, and Akane smiled back. "I… I'm actually happy I can be Ranma's friend now, without worrying about the engagement." She looked Ukyou in the eye. "Ukyou, Ranma really needs her friends right now. Can… can you be a friend to her again? Not a fiancée? Please?"

Ukyou looked at the unhappy redhead, and sighed. Life was certainly full of surprises. She wasn't ready to give up all hope yet, but… Akane was right. "Of course, Akane. I… I love Ranchan too. I… I'll be happy to help… her." She smiled at Ranma, and Ranma smiled hopefully back. Ukyou felt the tension between the three of them ease a little, the tension that had been the inevitable result of the romantic rivalry. She had always liked Akane; maybe… maybe the three of them…

It was only after Akane and Ranma had left, and the reality of her broken dreams had rushed back in, that she allowed herself the luxury of a good long cry—not too long, she had to open shop. She swore silently to herself as she sobbed; "_Now I have twice the reason to kill him. Now it's for you, too, Ranchan…"_

* * *

A couple of days later, several of the girls were eating lunch outside together at Fuurinkan. Yuka was talking animatedly with some of her friends, when Sayuri nudged her. "Look at that pervert."

Yuka was disoriented. "What? Who?"

Sayuri nodded her head in the direction of Ranma, Akane, and Ukyou, who were eating off by themselves. "Him. Ranma. Every so often I catch him staring at us. What a perv. He's eating lunch with those two, and he has to ogle us too. Disgusting. No wonder Akane dumped him."

Yuka kept a discreet eye on Ranma. Sure enough, a few minutes later, Ranma started looking at the group of girls she was sitting with. She started to get mad, then got a good look at Ranma's face. "I… I don't think he's ogling us, Sayuri-chan. Look at his face."

Sayuri watched Ranma out of the corner of her eye, more closely than she had before. Yuka was right; there was a terrible sadness and loneliness in his eyes, not like the Ranma she knew at all. She noticed that Akane and Ukyou were both looking at Ranma, so they must know he was looking at her and her friends. They'd both pound him if they thought he was ogling other girls.

"You're right… he's really upset about something. But what could it possibly have to do with us?"

Yuka pondered that. "Ranma's been really strange this week. And the relationship between him and Akane is very different. Now Ukyou's acting funny, too. It's almost like they're… worried about him, for some reason." She suddenly gave a little gasp. "You… you don't suppose he's got some serious illness, do you?"

Sayuri's expression became determined. "There's only one way to find out. Come on." She stood up, and Yuka, caught by surprise, scrambled to catch up. "We won't ask any questions. I just want to watch them interact."

Ranma saw Sayuri stand up, and guiltily looked away from the group of girls having lunch. "Oh man, now I'm gonna get it," he said.

Akane observed Sayuri and Yuka as they walked over. "I don't think so, Ranma. They don't look mad."

Sayuri and Yuka walked up. "Hi! Do you mind if we join you?"

Ranma looked surprised, and could only shake his head. Akane and Ukyou looked at each other, then nodded their assent.

Sayuri and Yuka sat down, and unwrapped their lunches again. Ranma turned back to the food he had been picking at. Already, Akane could see that he had lost a little weight; this worried her deeply. Sayuri and Yuka also noticed that Ranma did not have his usual appetite.

Sayuri turned to Akane. "Akane-chan, have you heard about the new music teacher? It sounds like they're going to be offering music classes as an elective. It's so nice when Principal Kunou is gone; Vice Principal Takano really wants to improve the school, but he can only do it when the head loony is away."

Akane shook her head. "No, I hadn't heard. Are you going to try out the classes?"

Sayuri shrugged her shoulders. "I took piano lessons when I was younger, but I'm not sure…"

Ranma piped up. "I… I like music… maybe…"

Sayuri and Yuka turned to look at Ranma, who drooped a little under their scrutiny. Sayuri spoke. "That's… that's really nice, Ranma. I'm impressed. Some guys actually believe it's just a girl thing, can you believe it? It shows how mature and confident you are in your masculinity…" Sayuri trailed off as she saw the sequence of emotions on Ranma's face: hope, embarrassment, sadness, pain. She swallowed.

Ranma kept quiet after that, and as the conversation continued, Sayuri got a good look at the emotions Ranma was experiencing. He watched each girl in turn as they talked, and almost looked as if he were longing for something. He was clearly deeply disturbed.

The bell rang, and Akane said gently, "Come on, Ranma, we have to get going." Ranma nodded quietly, and followed, along with Ukyou.

Sayuri and Yuka looked at each other before standing up themselves; since when had Ranma started following Akane's lead?

"Something is definitely going on here…" said Sayuri, as she and Yuka dashed for their next class.

* * *

Ranma sat at the dinner table and stared at his food. It looked delicious, as always, but somehow, he just wasn't hungry. He sat morosely as the Tendou sisters ate and chatted. He felt as if they couldn't see him, as if he were invisible. He brooded.

Suddenly, he felt cold water pouring over him. He spluttered and turned around, to find his father standing there, Tendou-san behind him. "Hey old man! Whad'ja do that for! When did you get back?" Suddenly he noticed: "Hey! I'm still a guy!"

His father nodded. "That's right, Boy. I just returned from China, and that was Nanniichuan. At last, we're both cured! You'll never have to worry about turning into a girl again!"

Ranma looked at his father, then stared at his own large hands. The hands of a man. For some reason, they seemed enormous. "Wh-what?"

Kasumi smiled. "How wonderful for you, Ranma-kun!"

Ranma looked around the room, at the smiling faces of the Tendous and his father. "N-No…" he whispered.

Akane looked at him curiously. "Ranma?"

Suddenly, he jumped clumsily to his feet, and ran to the bathroom, nearly tripping in his haste. He grabbed a basin, filled it with cold water, and dumped it over his head. Nothing happened. His heart was pounding and an irrational terror began to grip him. An incoherent moan escaped his lips.

The Tendous and his father appeared at the bathroom door. "Ranma, what's wrong?" asked Akane. "Aren't you happy? Your curse is gone!"

He stared at them, and tears started to fall from his eyes. He felt trapped; he swung his gaze around the room, looking wildly from place to place, as if trying to find an escape. His eyes met the mirror, and he gasped. In the mirror was his girl form, looking back at him, tears and shock on her face to match his own. Her hair was unbound and she was wearing a dress. He briefly glanced down at himself—still male, Chinese clothes—and looked back to the girl in the mirror, who was just completing the same motion. She stared back at him, crying and shaking her head fearfully, and moaning "No… no… oh, Kami-sama, please, no…" Or was it he who was saying that?

Suddenly the girl in the mirror screamed "_Noooooooooooo…_", and Ranma sat bolt upright in his futon, the last bit of the scream escaping his lips as he woke. His chest heaved, his heart was pounding, and he was soaked in a cold sweat. He shivered as he tried to get control of himself.

The door to his room slid open, and Akane was standing there in her pajamas. "Ranma, are you all right? What happened? Did you have a nightmare?"

Ranma hung his head. "I… I…" He swallowed. "Yeah."

Akane came in and kneeled by his futon. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Ranma looked away for a moment, then back at Akane. "I… guess so."

Akane put a hand on his arm. "What happened to make you scream like that?"

Ranma sighed, and put his hand over his eyes. "Pop came back with some Nanniichuan, and he dumped it on me, and my… my girl side was gone. Then I looked in the mirror, and… and she was there, dressed like a girl." He shuddered. "She screamed, and I woke up screaming."

Akane's eyes widened.

Ranma was still lost in his own world. "I… I couldn't tell who was me…"

Akane was confused. "What do you mean?"

"The me who was looking in the mirror… or the me in the mirror…"

* * *

Ranma heaved a sigh of relief; it was Friday at last, and he was in PE, the last class of the day. Just a little longer, and he could have four whole weeks to… mull over his problem, without having to worry about school.

He no longer looked at the girls as they had their PE class. He noticed he was getting strange looks from the girls at school, and imagined he had been too obvious. They probably thought he was a peeping tom now. He sighed.

At last the bell rang, and they headed for the locker room. Ranma stole a quick look and noticed that the girls were already gone; they must have finished their soccer game a little early, and quit rather than start something new in the short time left.

Ranma took off his gym clothes and tried hard not to look at all the naked guys around him. He had always found the locker room a little intimidating, but over the last week it had grown very uncomfortable. He… he felt like he didn't belong in here, like he was an intruder. He tried hard to focus on getting finished and getting out.

Hirota, who was well known to dislike Ranma, spoke out loudly. "Hey, I noticed Saotome ain't checkin' out the girls any more. Maybe he's picked a few out for his harem?" Ranma blushed deeply, but said nothing. He had taken his clothes off and headed for the showers. He tried hard to ignore everything around him.

One of the other boys spoke up. "I dunno why he gets all the cute girls. I mean, jeez, he could at least leave a few for the rest of us." Ranma reached the shower and turned it on, good and hot. He relaxed a little as the hot water poured over his body, loosening his muscles.

Another boy said, "I feel deprived. We have to check the girls out from the other side of the field, but he's always sittin' with 'em and checkin' 'em out up close. He even sneaks into their locker room disguised and peeps."

Ranma grew angry, but focused on getting out as soon as possible. _My last class… it's my last class…_

Hirota grinned a nasty grin. "Well, I know one cute girl we could check out real close…" With that, he reached in past Ranma, who was trying hard to ignore his surroundings, and turned off the hot water.

Within a second the water turned to a cold trickle, and Ranma changed. The shock caused her to open her eyes, and she whirled around to face out of the shower stall. A couple of dozen boys were standing there, in various states of undress, and casually, slowly, taking a good long look at her naked body.

Her eyes swung wildly from boy to boy, and she looked to be in shock. Her small hands flew up to cover as much of herself as she could, which wasn't much. Her mouth hung open. A couple of the boys giggled nervously. She looked down at herself, then back at the boys.

Hiroshi turned to Daisuke. "You'd think these idiots would learn. He pounds 'em every time they pull this stunt, and they never remember." Daisuke nodded. They turned back to Ranma…

…who had slid down to a sitting position in the shower stall and was quivering, looking not at all ready to pound anyone. She looked around one last time, and a terrified look came into her eyes. She opened her mouth, and screamed.

Most of the girls had left the locker room; there were about a dozen left. Akane, Ukyou, Yuka, and Sayuri were all dressed, and were chatting, when an ear-piercing scream came from the boy's locker room. A girl's scream. Akane and Ukyou looked at each other. "Ranchan…" whispered Ukyou.

Hiroshi and Daisuke were trying to make sense of what was going on. Ranma, rather than beating the living daylights out of the boys responsible, was quivering in a little ball in the shower, screaming at the top of her lungs, while the boys variously laughed nervously or stared in incredulity.

Suddenly, the door to the locker room slammed open, and Akane was standing there. She surveyed the room, and several of the undressed boys turned red and hid behind lockers. She ran in and spotted Ranma, quivering and screaming in the shower. Ranma's eyes found Akane, but they weren't seeing anything.

Akane glared at the boys gathered around Ranma, and they gulped nervously. "Get… the… hell… away… from… her!" Akane said in low, icy, menacing tones. They nodded meekly and backed up. Getting pounded by Ranma was bad, but getting pounded by Akane was even worse.

Akane turned off the shower, looked around for a spare towel, found one, and wrapped Ranma in it, covering her. Ranma's eyes focused on Akane, and she stopped screaming. "A… Ak-kane…" Her chin started to quiver, and suddenly she was sobbing.

Akane picked her up (_She's so light as a girl_, Akane thought in wonder), gave a final withering glare at the boys, and carried Ranma out the door. Making a quick turn around the corner, she carried Ranma into the girl's locker room, as Ranma continued to sob.

She walked over to a bench, in full view of the other girls, whose eyes were all wide as could be; they stood frozen in mute astonishment. Akane gently set Ranma down on the bench, and Ranma continued to clutch at Akane as her body was racked by huge, drawn-out sobs.

Akane was close to crying herself; Ranma was falling apart. The old Ranma was gone, like some historical figure who might have been more myth than reality. In his place was a scared, unhappy person who didn't even know what sex she was. A person who was finding simple, everyday life increasingly difficult to cope with.

The other girls were so shocked that no one thought to point out that Ranma was in the girl's locker room. Besides, the person on the bench in front of them didn't seem very much like a boy. Everyone looked on silently, until Ukyou looked up, and said "Everyone… would… would you mind?…"

The mood was broken, and the other girls nodded quietly, and left, their eyes glued to Ranma and Akane as they filed towards the door. While Ukyou was occupied, Sayuri and Yuka quickly hid behind one of the back rows of lockers.

Ukyou looked around. "They're gone." She turned back to Akane and Ranma.

Akane tried to gently coax Ranma off her shoulder. "It's OK, Ranma. It's OK. You're safe. The boys are gone." Ranma's crying slowly faded away, but she still was quivering. "Ucchan and I are both here, Ranma. We won't let anyone bother you." There was a tentative knock at the door, and Ukyou went over to open it.

She found Hiroshi and Daisuke standing outside. Hiroshi was holding Ranma's sports bag and his clothes. "We… we thought you might need these…" Daisuke nodded.

Ukyou looked at them with gratitude in her eyes. "Thanks," she said simply, and took the items.

She turned to go back inside, when Hiroshi spoke again. "Is… Is he… she… all right?"

Ukyou looked worried. "I… I don't know yet…" With that she let the door close.

When Ukyou returned Ranma was sitting up on her own, still trembling a little, clutching the towel about her. Ukyou placed Ranma's belongings on the bench next to her, and she smiled in gratitude. Akane was holding Ranma's hand and still murmuring calming words.

Finally, Ranma seemed calm enough to talk. "What happened, Ranchan?" asked Ukyou. "What happened to you?"

Ranma shuddered a little but seemed to be in control of herself. "The… the usual. I was in the shower, and they turned off the hot water. I… I turned around… they were all staring at me, at every part of my body…" her voice trailed off and she started to tremble again.

Akane asked gently, "Ranma, I know it's horrible, but this has happened to you half a dozen times at least, and you always just beat them up. What was different this time?" But even as the words left her mouth, she knew the answer.

Ranma turned to Akane and looked up into her eyes. "Before… it… it was never _my_ body they were looking at…" Akane and Ukyou were lost in thought, and Ranma looked off into the distance, seeing something only she could see.

Behind the lockers, Yuka and Sayuri were looking at each other with jaws agape.

Akane finally turned to Ranma again. "Ranma? Maybe… maybe we should take you home. Would you like some hot water? It's just us in here, so it's OK if you change."

Ranma surprised everyone, including herself, with the vehemence and anger of her reply. "_No!_" Then, more calmly, "No. I… I don't want to be a b-boy right now."

* * *

Akane and Ranma turned the corner onto the quiet street where they lived. Ukyou had accompanied them partway home, then hurried off to the Ucchan to prepare for the busy Friday night crowd. She promised to drop in at the Dojo when she could, to see how Ranma was doing.

Ranma had been quiet the whole way home, lost in thought as she walked. Akane watched her quietly and was encouraged, because there was a determination there that she had sorely missed in Ranma. She seemed to be thinking very purposefully.

They turned in at the gate and walked up the path to the front door, as Ranma shook herself out of her reverie. Sliding it open, they called out "Tadaima!" as they took off their shoes, and stepped up into the house.

Kasumi came hurrying down the hall to greet them. "O-kaeri… Ranko-chan, have you been crying? What on Earth happened?"

Ranma's eyes became distant. "The boys… they…" she trailed off.

Kasumi looked over Ranma and Akane carefully. "Why don't you come in the living room and tell me about it over a nice cup of tea?" She smiled.

Nabiki was in the living room reading a magazine when her little sister… her two little sisters walked in, and sat down. She could tell immediately that something serious had happened, and lay the magazine aside. Kasumi followed a moment later with the tea things, and made sure everyone had something.

Ranma took a big sip, and shivered as she forced herself to remember. "I… I was in the locker room after PE, takin' a shower, when… when some of the guys did somethin' rotten they do sometimes. They… they turned the hot water off, and I" she swallowed "changed."

Kasumi frowned. "Ranko-chan, that's awful! What did you do?"

Ranma blushed deep red. "Well, this has happened a couple times before, and usually I just pound 'em, and they lay off for a few months. This time, I… I…" she trailed off and looked at Akane.

"She screamed, loud enough to wake the dead. I heard her over in the girl's locker room and went over there to help out. She was just sitting there in the shower while the _boys_"—she practically spat this word—"were just standing around staring at her." Akane was fuming. Some days, she really hated boys, and this was definitely one of them.

She collected herself. "I wrapped her up in a towel, and took her over to the girl's side until she calmed down. We came straight home."

Kasumi nodded her head thoughtfully.

Ranma regained her voice. "I… whenever they did this before, I was really mad, but… but it didn't matter somehow. This time, though… they… they were looking at _me_." She shuddered. "At _my_ body, not some cursed form I didn't care about." Her eyes started to tear again. "I… I felt so… so…"

"Violated?" asked Nabiki. Everyone turned to stare at her.

Ranma nodded. "Uh… yeah."

After that, they all sat for a few minutes, each lost in her own thoughts.

Kasumi spoke first. "Ranko-chan, why… why don't you go take a bath? I'm sure it will help you relax."

For some reason, the thought of a bath made Ranma uneasy, but it made sense. "O-OK…" Ranma paused for a second, "O-o-neechan." She smiled tremulously, and Kasumi smiled back. Ranma turned and headed for the bath. Nabiki watched her depart, then turned back to Kasumi. She could tell that Kasumi was very pleased that Ranma had called her Oneechan.

Ranma dumped her Chinese clothes in the dirty laundry, and went on into the bath. She looked in the mirror before she started washing up. "I really cried my eyes out, didn't I," she said, as she looked at her tear-stained face. She washed carefully, shivering a bit, but the cold water was refreshing after the heat of the day. She felt better already. She got up, stretched, and went over to the bath, stepped up to get in…

…and stopped.

She looked at the bath full of hot water, her heart pounding. She felt terribly uneasy about getting in. She really wanted to relax in the bath, but… but if she did that… she would turn into a… boy.

She stepped down from the bath and walked back to the mirror, and looked at herself. Not at a red-haired girl who was a different person, not at a cursed form, but at herself. "This is me," she said to the mirror, "not some person I mighta been if Pop hadn't done it. _Me_. Th-those boys were looking at _me_." She looked at herself in the mirror for a while. Suddenly, she turned, and climbed into the bath.

* * *

"How do you think she is feeling, Akane?"

The Tendou sisters were huddled in the living room. Akane considered the question. "It's… it's odd. She was hysterical—it took Ukyou and I a good ten minutes to calm her down—but somehow, now, she seems more back on track than she's been. It's like she's thinking about her problem, not just falling apart. It's a relief, to be honest."

"I noticed she was still a girl when you came home," observed Nabiki.

Akane nodded. "She… I offered her hot water, but… she… she didn't want to change."

Nabiki nodded, and the three sisters sat in thought for a while.

They heard Ranma's footsteps coming from the bath, and turned to see how he was feeling. Akane started to speak, then stopped. Ranma was wet from the bath, but still female; she must have changed back afterwards. She was standing there in a cotton robe, rather than her usual tank top and shorts. And her hair was unbound, no longer in a pig-tail. Akane could see the Dragon's Whisker in her hand.

All three sisters stared at her. Kasumi recovered first. "Ran… Ranko-chan?"

Ranma turned to face her, a nervous smile on her face. "Yes, Oneechan?"

Kasumi's eyes widened, then she smiled back. "Don't you… don't you want to get dressed? It's not even dinner time yet."

Ranma nodded. "Yes, but… but I didn't have any clothes to wear."

Kasumi frowned. "That's odd, I was sure that some of your shorts and tank-tops were in there."

Ranma nodded. "There were some, yes. I… I didn't wanna wear them." She pursed her lips and didn't say anything more.

There was silence as the import of her words sank in.

Akane stared at her. "Ran… Ranko?"

Ranko nodded, a small, frightened smile on her face. "For… for now. I… I wanna at least try it out." She took a deep breath. "St-starting now."

Kasumi smiled, stood up, and went over to give Ranko a hug. "Whatever makes you happy, imouto-chan." Ranko smiled and nodded, and there were tears in her eyes.

* * *

Ranko sat on her futon, warily regarding her opponent. Her opponent didn't speak, which was not surprising, since it was made of nylon and spandex.

She had come upstairs to dress, and to inventory her collection of female clothing. Clothes seemed like a good place to get started. She found:

2 dresses

1 bra

1 bikini brief

1 one-piece swimsuit, with the word "Boy" stitched on the front (_have to get Kasumi to take that off…_)

1 Fuurinkan High School girl's uniform, a bit worn from fights

1 set of Fuurinkan High School girl's PE clothes

The swimsuit was the only thing she had actually used frequently, since it was the only way she could swim. The rest were for disguises. The underwear had been acquired for when she had to fight Happousai, and she never wore it otherwise. It looked like she would need to go clothes shopping. Soon. Like, first thing tomorrow.

She continued regarding her lone bra. It had taken a lot to get her to wear it before. She had stayed as far away from female underwear as possible; it had threatened her hold on maleness too much.

Now, she was, well, female (at least for the next four weeks). She was _supposed_ to wear female underwear. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. _I'm a girl. I'm not cross-dressing, I'm not a guy wearing girls' clothes, I'm a girl; I'm __**supposed**__ to wear these clothes. It's OK. I'm a girl, a girl._ She understood why Dr. Toufuu had suggested she spend time away from her usual haunts; it would take her a while to get used to this, to not feel self-conscious.

Now how did you put this thing on again?

She struggled to stretch it around behind her and fasten the hooks. It was hard to reach around behind her. Just a little further…

Down in the living room, the three sisters heard a snap, followed by "Owww!" from upstairs. Nabiki snickered. Kasumi looked concerned. "Oh, dear. Akane, do you want to go help her?"

Akane thought for a moment. "She's got to learn how to dress herself, Oneechan. I think she'll manage." Kasumi nodded.

A few minutes later, Ranko came down to the living room, wearing one of her two dresses. Her hair was still unbound, but was a bit disheveled and uneven. She stopped at the foot of the stairs, waiting for judgment.

Akane looked over the dress, which Ranma had gotten second-hand, and which looked it. Her hair was a mess, too. "You… you look nice, Ranko."

"I… I think I oughta go shoppin' tomorrow. I ain't got much to wear."

_No kidding_, thought Akane. Out loud, she said "Can I come along?" She worried about Ranko freaking out while shopping for girl's clothes.

"S-sure, Akane. Thank you." She smiled.

Kasumi spoke up. "I think there is someone else who would probably love to go shopping with you, Ranko-chan." She gave Ranko a meaningful look.

Ranko looked bewildered, until comprehension dawned. "Mom…"

Kasumi nodded. She looked at Ranko's hair. "Ranko-chan, would you like me to fix your hair after dinner? It… doesn't do you justice."

Ranko swallowed. "I… I guess so…"

After a quiet dinner, Ranko sat patiently while Kasumi brushed, combed, and clipped her hair. As far as she could tell, Kasumi wasn't doing very much, just a bit here and there. Nabiki and Akane watched.

"Finished!" announced Kasumi. Ranko was anxious to see what she looked like, though she couldn't imagine it was very different. She waited impatiently while Kasumi dusted her off, then stood and ran over to the mirror in the front hall.

A teenage girl looked back at her. Her fiery red hair was now even and neat, with bangs, and coming to just above her shoulders. _I… I look like a girl…_ she thought. _Well… I guess that __**was**__ the idea… and…_

Kasumi and Akane came up behind her. "It looks nice, Ranko", said Akane.

Kasumi asked, "Do you like it, Ranko-chan?"

As she looked at herself in the mirror, Ranko felt a warm, contented feeling come over her. She turned and smiled. "Yes… Yes, I do, Oneechan."

Kasumi turned to Akane. "Akane, when you and Ranko-chan go shopping tomorrow, could you pick up some good shampoo and conditioner for her? I don't know what she's using now, but it's drying out her hair something fierce."

Ranko's head spun. Being a girl sure sounded complicated… clothes, hair, who knew what else. Did she really want to get involved in this feminine world? She turned back to the mirror, and looked at herself again. Saotome Ranko… the name ran through her mind, over and over.

* * *

Ranko lay on her futon, wearing a borrowed pair of Akane's pajamas (which didn't quite fit right), trying to sleep, and failing utterly. Her mind was awhirl with pleasant and unpleasant thoughts.

_I'm… I'm a girl_, she thought. So far… it didn't seem that different. But she knew the real differences would come from the way she dealt with other people. When she went out as Ranko, people would see her as a very different person and relate to her that way. Already, Akane and her sisters were treating her differently. She… she liked the relationship she had with them now, much better than before; she liked the sharing and openness. She thought about what it would be like to meet the other students at Fuurinkan this way, and cringed. She wasn't ready for that yet.

While mulling over what to do, she hadn't thought much past the decision itself. Now, she was in the middle of it, having to play catch-up on how to be a girl, something she had tried hard to avoid learning in the past. She didn't really have a very good idea of what was involved, and the many unknowns still scared her. _I guess that's why I'm trying this out_, she thought. She hoped Akane and… Mom would be patient with her. She knew she had to work on getting rid of the macho speech and mannerisms her father had drilled her in, not to mention his views on women.

She turned over on her side, and looked around the room. Her father's futon was folded and visible in the closet. Random items of his were scattered around the room, left behind in his haste to depart. Even though he wasn't there, his presence was. It… it hadn't bothered her earlier this week, when her mind was full of other things, but now… She missed her father, but thinking about him raised feelings she didn't know how to deal with right now. She sighed and rolled over on her other side.

Akane was just starting to fall asleep when a knock came on her door. "Come in," she said sleepily. The door opened, and Ranko was standing there, looking sheepish.

Akane propped herself up on an elbow. "Ranko, what's wrong? Come in." Ranko closed the door, and came over to sit on the bed. She looked like she was elsewhere. "What is it?"

Ranko still looked lost in thought. "It's… Pop."

Akane came fully awake. "Is he… here?" _Darn, and I just took my bath_, she thought. _I'll have to wash up again after I murder him._

Ranko shook her head. "No. But… I… I miss him, even though I wanna kill him, too." She sighed. "Does that make sense?"

Akane thought for a while. "I… Yes, I guess it does. He's… he's still your father." _Until I turn him into a panda rug._

Ranko nodded. "That… that room. It reminds me a lot of him. And… and of my boy self." She looked sad. "There are too many memories in there."

Akane reached over and gave her a hug. "Do… do you want to sleep in here with me tonight?"

Ranko looked surprised; the last time she had come into Akane's room at night, she had been pulverized. "Are you sure?" Akane nodded, and smiled. "OK, I'll… I'll go get my futon."

Akane smiled again. "Don't bother." She pulled the covers up. "This bed is plenty big enough. Hop in."

Ranko stared at Akane. Share her _bed_? _She… she must really think of me as her sister now…_ Akane motioned with her head, and smiled again. Ranko smiled back, and slid under the covers. They were asleep within minutes.

Later on, Kasumi stopped by to check on Ranko; she was worried the poor girl wouldn't be able to sleep, with so much going on in her life right now. She quietly slid open the door to the room Ranko shared with her father, then suddenly slid it open fully and turned on the light. Ranko wasn't here! Where could she be? A memory came floating up from the back of her mind…

Kasumi sat in the living room reading her copy of Margaret. Since she was the oldest, she got to stay up later. Mother was sitting there, too, reading a book, and Father and Uncle Saotome were playing shogi. Auntie Saotome came into the living room.

"Kirara, have you seen Ranko anywhere? I put her to sleep a while back, but she's not in the room where I left her."

Mother looked up. "Why, no. Oh, my—you don't suppose she's wandered off somewhere, do you?" She stood up, and Father and Uncle paused their game to turn around.

Auntie Saotome shook her head. "She's not very good about staying in bed when she's supposed to, but she knows better than to wander off. She probably got out of bed and fell asleep somewhere."

Kasumi jumped up. "I'll help look!"

Mother and Auntie Saotome smiled at her. "Thank you, dear."

They looked high and low, in the Dojo, everywhere, but Ranko was nowhere to be found. When Kasumi passed Akane's room, she noticed the door was slightly ajar. She quietly opened it a little further, and peeked in.

Ranko and Akane were both in Akane's futon, all tangled up and sound asleep. Small heads, arms, and legs stuck out in all directions. Kasumi stifled a giggle and went to fetch Mother and Auntie…

Kasumi turned off the light. On a hunch, she walked down the hall to Akane's room. She slowly opened the door and peeked in. She couldn't help smiling; there, in the bed, mimicking their younger selves, Ranko and Akane were asleep, arms thrown carelessly over each other. She quietly pulled the door closed.

* * *

End Chapter 3

Thursday, September 7, 2000

**Copyright Notice**

The characters and stories of Ranma ½ are Copyright © Rumiko Takahashi, and are used here without permission or license.

No claims to the above copyright are made by the author of this work.

This work is for non-commercial use ONLY, and is produced for the enjoyment of fans only.

This work is the expression of the author and the depiction of the Ranma ½ characters herein are in no way represented to be a part of Ranma ½ as depicted by the original author and copyright holder(s).


	4. Chapter 4: Explorations

Genma's Daughter

By ClassicalGal

Original concept and parts of chapter 1 by Nesin Evets

Chapter 4: Explorations

* * *

Nodoka scrubbed at a stubborn spot on one of the breakfast dishes. There hadn't been very many, since she ate alone, but she liked her kitchen to be spotless at all times. She held the dish up and inspected it; the bit of food had meekly given up under her onslaught. She smiled, and went on to the next.

As she scrubbed, she sighed. She hadn't seen or heard from Ranko… Ranma… at all since the previous Tuesday, when she… no, _he_ had finally remembered to return the documents and video he and Akane had borrowed.

She finished the washing and started to dry the dishes with a towel. The children had been in too much of a hurry to get to school, and hadn't had time to chat. They'd mentioned stopping by on the way home, but Akane had called that evening with a sheepish apology: things at school had been hard, she'd said, and they'd forgotten.

As she started to put the dishes away, she frowned. Since then, she'd heard nothing. She didn't have a very good idea of what was going on in her… child's life right now. She knew Ranko was under stress, and Nodoka wished she could do more to help her little girl. She bit her lip in worry.

As she put the last of the dishes away, the door chime rang. "Hai!" she called out, and hurried over to the genkan. The door slid open of its own accord, revealing Akane and… and…

Standing in front of her was her own most cherished dream, an image she had held dear in her mind for a dozen long years. It was a young lady with fiery red hair cut in a flattering (but plain) style, wearing a dress (somewhat frumpy, her inner mother's voice noted critically), carrying an outdated-looking purse, with a very nervous look that spoiled her pretty face.

And that girl looked more beautiful to her than any other girl in the entire world.

"Ran… Ranko?" Tears started to fall from her eyes.

The redhead nodded, tentatively, her eyes becoming moist as well.

Nodoka rushed forward into the genkan, still in her house slippers, and crushed Ranko in a hug, and they were both crying. "Oh, baby… I… I never thought I'd see my little girl again…" Ranko's head was spinning a little from being referred to in such terms. Akane pulled a tissue from her purse and wiped her eyes.

Nodoka held Ranko out at arm's length. "Let me look at you… Oh, you look just the way I imagined you! You're such a beauty!" She sighed.

Ranko blushed and smiled a watery smile. Nodoka noticed where they were, and blushed herself. "Where are my manners? Come on in, girls." Ranko wondered again at being referred to that way. _A… A girl…_

When they were all seated in Nodoka's living room, she was still gazing lovingly at her resurrected daughter. "Do… do you like it, Mom?" asked Ranko.

"Of course, dear!" She frowned suddenly. "You didn't do this just for me, did you? Is this something _you_ want to do?"

Ranko looked at Akane, then nodded. "Yes, it is. I… I didn't tell you before… I never told anyone… but I… I never really liked… being a boy. I thought that was normal, just part of being that way, but… but Dr. Toufuu said it wasn't. I also thought the curse is what made me feel that being a girl was more comfortable." She blushed. "I feel kinda dumb, now."

Nodoka shook her head firmly. "Why should you? After what you've been through, you can be forgiven for thinking anything. Did you go to school this way?"

Ranko looked nervous, and looked over at Akane. "Ranko, you have to tell her." Ranko gulped and nodded.

Nodoka suddenly felt worried. "What is it, dear?"

Ranko turned back to her mother. "Mom… I… Dr. Toufuu suggested I… kinda try out being Ranko, over summer break. I… I just started last night, after school. I'm supposed to try it for four weeks, then…" she trailed off.

Nodoka spoke firmly. "Then decide what you want. In other words, this may not be permanent, correct?"

Ranko nodded. "I'm sorry, Mom. Your… your daughter might disappear again at the end of the summer."

Nodoka shook her head. "Don't be. I've accepted what's happened to you, sweetheart. I just want you to be happy, and I'll accept whatever you decide. In the meantime, I'll enjoy having my daughter again." She smiled, and Ranko smiled back. "Did you two come here just to visit me?"

Ranko shook her head. "I… I kinda need to go shopping, Mom. I only got one set of underwear, and I already wore it once yesterday." She wrinkled her nose and made a face. "Akane and me, we thought you might like to… tag along?"

_Yatta! And I didn't even have to suggest it._ "Of course, dear. I'd love to."

* * *

Ranko felt dizzy. She had thought she would need some underwear, a dress or two, and a couple of other things. Her mother had had other ideas, and Akane seemed to agree. They had bought a ton of lingerie, several pajamas, summer dresses, skirts, slacks, shorts, blouses and tops, more swimsuits, a hair ornament or two, some jewelry (Ranko now wore a simple charm necklace), some clip-on earrings (Ranko had refused to consider piercing when she hadn't decided to stay female yet), several pairs of shoes, a new purse and wallet, some very basic cosmetics ("You're so pretty, dear, you don't really need it, but when you want to look extra-nice…"), and a staggering variety of hair-care products (including Kasumi's requested shampoo and conditioner, plus stuff she couldn't even identify; just what _was_ a "triple bonding reconstructor"?). And they were still going strong.

Ranko had no idea how they were going to get all this home. She didn't think she'd ever get a chance to wear it all, even if she wore a different item every day for the next four weeks. But she knew her mother was having the time of her life, making up for twelve lost years. Seeing her mother so happy was worth visiting every store in Nerima. And it seemed like they were doing just that.

At the moment, she was trying on a beautiful dark green formal gown her mother had spotted in a store window. "Oh, dear, it would be just perfect with your hair!" Ranko wanted to point out that she wasn't planning to go to a formal dinner-dance any time soon, but refrained. She was in a booth in the dressing room, trying to get into the dress, while Akane and her mother sat just outside and waited for her to appear.

One of the salesladies came into the dressing room carrying a tray with tea things on it; she offered some to Nodoka and Akane: "Would you ladies like some tea?"

Nodoka was a bit surprised since the weather was so hot, but guessed it was just a formality. She smiled and said "No, thank you," and Akane declined as well.

The saleslady bowed slightly, and turned to go. Her heel caught on the carpet, and the tray went flying. A cup of tea sailed through the air, and directly into the booth Ranko was using.

"Oh my!" breathed the saleslady. "Miss, are you all right in there? I am so sorry!"

There was a long pause. A squeaky falsetto drifted out. "I'm fine. Thank you."

The saleslady started a bit at the voice, but shrugged, and left the room, collecting the remains of the tea tray.

Nodoka was watching the departing saleslady when she heard a whisper, which she didn't quite catch. She looked around. Akane was staring at the dressing booth and looked concerned. The whisper came again, louder. "Mother!" Nodoka got up and walked over to the booth. "What is it, dear?"

The whisper came out again. "Mother, please get me a glass of cold water. Now."

Akane winced.

"What's wrong, dear? Are you thirsty?" Akane rolled her eyes. Obviously, Nodoka hadn't lived around the curse long enough.

The voice rose slightly above a whisper, and sounded distinctly masculine in tone. "No, I'm not thirsty, Mother."

Nodoka's eyes widened in understanding. "Right away, dear."

* * *

Akane, Ranko, and Nodoka walked down the street with a dizzying array of purchases. One of them was not a lovely green formal gown with a tea stain. The proprietress had been so apologetic for dumping tea all over Ranko that she had insisted on giving them the dress, and paying for the dry cleaning as well. It would be ready in a few days. Ranko supposed she would have to find a formal dinner-dance to attend.

Ranko was in a bit of a daze, and not just from the clothes. "I… I can't believe it happened in a _dressing room_…"

"That really was quite an accident, wasn't it, dear? Thank goodness the fabric had some stretch in it."

"I… I can't believe it happens with hot water, too…"

Nodoka looked puzzled. "What happens?"

"I… I mean cold water, that makes sense…"

Akane decided she'd better answer. "Ranko's curse seems to… turn her into a water magnet. Before, she was constantly being splashed with cold water, seemingly by chance, but always at the worst moments. I… I guess she wasn't expecting the curse to have the same effect when she wanted to stay in her cursed form."

They turned in to Nodoka's front gate, and struggled to get all the packages through the front door. Eventually, they were collected in a pile in the living room.

"Cold water is everywhere, but hot water… how can the curse tell?"

"Ranko, dear, is there anything you can do to keep this from happening?"

That was enough to snap Ranko out of it. "I could never keep from changing when I didn't want to before…"

Akane reminded her, "Ranko, that was when you wanted to stay _male_."

Ranko's memory flashed back to the Cat's Tongue, and…

"Cologne."

Nodoka frowned. "Cologne? Well, I have some, but I never thought that it had any magical properties."

Akane and Ranko laughed. "No, Mom, Kuh Lon. She is an elder of the Chinese Amazon tribe. She's here in Nerima with her great-granddaughter, Shampoo, and a boy who came with them, Mousse. Their village is right next to Jusenkyou, so they know a great deal about it. Once, she… she locked me in my female form for a few weeks."

Nodoka didn't miss anything. "They certainly have an interesting way of naming people. Why did she do that, dear?"

Ranko looked embarrassed. "Well, uhh, she was trying to… to blackmail me, I guess. Force me into marrying her great-granddaughter."

Nodoka grew angry. "Why on Earth would she do that?"

Ranko and Akane looked at each other. "Maybe we'd better sit down, Mom. This may take a while."

Several minutes later, after explaining the whole of their history with the Amazons, including Cologne's helpful attitude after their recent visit, Nodoka nodded. "It sounds like she might be able to help you avoid changing accidentally. Why don't we go see them later today? I'd like to meet this woman." This latter was said in a slightly harder tone. "Meanwhile, let's rest a bit and have lunch." She laughed. "I don't think I've shopped that much in years and years."

Ranko still felt dizzy. Akane turned to her and playfully asked, "So, Ranko, what did you think of your first major shopping expedition?"

Ranko thought for a while. "Actually, it was kinda… fun. When… when I tried stuff on, or you tried stuff on, it was like… like…" she reached for an analogy, "like tryin' out new moves in Kenpo, to see if they work or not." Akane sighed slightly at Ranko's somewhat one-dimensional value system. "And… and I liked the way I looked, even when we didn't buy stuff." She blushed slightly.

Akane turned to Nodoka and said in a stage whisper, "Oh, she's a girl, all right!" She and Nodoka laughed as Ranko turned a deeper red.

"Ranko, do you have closet space to put all your new clothes in?" asked her mother.

Ranko thought a bit, and her face fell. "I guess… if I move some of…" she trailed off.

"What's wrong, dear?"

"It's… the room I have at the Tendous I share… shared with Pop… Father. It… it reminds me a lot of him, and it reminds me a lot of being… a boy." She sighed. "It's kind of a constant reminder of things I'd rather not think about right now."

Akane chimed in. "Last night she came and spent the night in my room; she was having trouble sleeping."

Nodoka thought for a while. "Ranko, dear, would you like to come live here with me over break? You can stay in your old room. I've already put the cats in storage." She smiled.

Ranko thought about what her relationship with the Tendou sisters had been like the past few days. She wanted to spend time with her mother, but she would miss them… "I'd… I'd like that Mom, but I'm… I think I would miss Akane and her sisters a lot. They've become my second family. I… I don't know what to do. I'd like to be with both you and them." She looked sad.

"Akane, dear, would you like to come stay here over break as well? You could have that spare room we don't use."

Akane thought. There was no way she was going to allow Ranko off on her own during such a stressful time as the next four weeks would be. She… she hadn't stayed away from home for that long ever before, though. She knew she would miss home, would miss her sisters. Maybe… maybe she could go visit… "May I think about it for a while, Auntie? I want to stay with Ranko while she's trying out being a girl, but I… I think I'd miss my family. I also really ought to talk it over with Kasumi."

Nodoka nodded. "Why don't we leave all the clothes here for now? Ranko, if you decide you'd rather stay at the Tendous, we can take them over later today. Now, how about some lunch?"

"That would be great! I'm starvin'!"

"Ranko, watch your language. Try to speak a little more politely."

"Yes, Mother."

Akane was happy to see Ranko being enthusiastic about food again. It seemed she was feeling better.

* * *

Shampoo was cleaning tables again. She sighed. She cleaned tables a lot. At least, during summer break, she would have a little time off since business tended to drop off. Maybe she could spend some time with Ranma and work on getting him to go out with her, help him get over the revelations about his past.

The door chime signaled, and Shampoo turned to answer. "Welcome to Nekohan…" she trailed off.

Akane, she recognized. There was also a middle-aged woman. But the other girl…

The second-hand dress had been discarded at Nodoka's, and she was now wearing a green sundress ("I always loved the way you looked in those, dear"), a hair ornament in her neatly styled fire-red hair, some pretty sandals, a charm necklace, clip-on earrings, and lipstick. This person looked entirely female. The only giveaways were the red hair, and the eyes.

"Ran… Ranma?"

Ranko smiled nervously. "Hi Shampoo. Ummm, it's… it's Ranko, at least for summer break."

Shampoo felt like her heart was dropping down a hole. It had only been a week! Ranma… Ranma was living as a girl? Was going to spend the summer that way? He'd chosen to become Ranko again? Shampoo felt a little light-headed, and leaned heavily on the table she had been cleaning.

Ranko didn't notice Shampoo's reaction. "Shampoo, this is my mother, Saotome Nodoka." Nodoka bowed slightly. "Mom, this is Shampoo, one of the Chinese Amazons I told you about." Nodoka wondered at the girl's purple hair.

Shampoo tried to collect herself, and bowed back. Ranma's… Ranko's… mother had to be paid the proper respect. "Shampoo very glad to meet honored mother of… of… Ranko." She tried to smile. She was about to ask what on Earth was going on when Cologne hopped in, and the introductions were repeated. When Nodoka was introduced to Cologne, she seemed to scrutinize the Amazon matriarch carefully.

They sat down, and Ranko explained Dr. Toufuu's idea, and her decision to try it. Cologne nodded. "I think it's a very good idea, Ranko. By the end of the summer you should have a much better idea of how you feel about this."

Ranko nodded. "I… I'm still kinda not sure about this, but… so far, it seems OK."

"Very good, child. I suspect, however, that you didn't come just to pay a social call."

Ranko blushed. "Well, I… earlier today, when we were out shopping, I… I had an accident—with hot water. I… I didn't know that the curse worked the same way with hot water. Anyway, I knew there ain't… isn't really a way to stick me… uh, keep me in my male form, but I was wondering if there was something I could do to stay female through the summer? I… if I keep changing as often as I did before, it's gonna be hard to really see what it's like being a girl. I… I thought you might know of something, considering… how… how we met." Nodoka raised an eyebrow at this, but decided not to press the issue here. She wanted to speak with Cologne about what she had done to her daughter. Perhaps another day.

Shampoo looked on morosely. The rapidity with which this had happened, the fact that Ranma… Ranko was asking to be locked in female form, even temporarily, spoke volumes about her true feelings. She had misjudged this situation badly, because of her attachment to Ranma. And Great-Grandmother had known that.

Cologne thought for a while. "I think I might have something that will help. Come with me."

They all followed Cologne back into the storeroom of the Nekohanten. Cologne went over to a small trunk, and blew off some of the dust. She turned to speak. "Shampoo, Mousse, Ranko, I think you had best stand well clear. If I have an accident with what is in here, it might do you serious harm." The three cursed individuals stood on the other side of the room.

Cologne opened the trunk. Inside were various bottles of what appeared to be water, nestled in very thick padding. Cologne checked that they were all intact, then nodded and turned around.

"Ranko, have you ever heard of the Musk Dynasty?" Ranko shook her head, but Shampoo's and Mousse's faces grew ashen. "I won't go into the details, but they have a magical artifact, the Chiisuiton. Water kept in this vessel, when splashed onto a cursed person, will lock them in their cursed form, essentially forever. The Musk use it in ways that… I'd rather not describe right now." Ranko, Akane, and Nodoka felt a chill from the way Cologne spoke.

She continued. "Water used directly from the Chiisuiton is full of its magic, and the lock on the curse lasts far longer than any individual could hope to live. But water that is no longer in the Chiisuiton starts to lose its magic, and after a time, will only lock an individual as their cursed form for a few years, or a few months, or even a few weeks. After hundreds of years, the water loses its magic altogether. In these bottles, I have some water from the Chiisuiton, stolen from the Musk. It is rather old, and so only lasts about 3 weeks."

Ranko warily eyed the bottles from across the room. If she… if she used this water, she wouldn't be able to become a man again until it wore off. She wasn't sure she _wanted_ to become a man again, but she wanted to keep that option open for now. Still, 3 weeks wasn't too long… "I… I guess that will work. Can I come see you when I need more?"

Cologne nodded. "I have a relatively large amount of it. However, Ranko, I must warn you of one thing: due to the chaotic nature of magic, there is a very slight chance when you use this water that it will act with its full, original strength. The chances are low, less than one in a thousand for water this old. But this is something you had to know: that this water might lock you in your female form forever. Also, if you use the water repeatedly, the chances will build up. Normally, it would take many years of use for the random factor to occur, but it could always happen sooner by chance. Even the very first time."

Ranko considered this. "Do… do you have anything else?"

Cologne shook her head. "I have various others, like the curseproof soap, but they all have problems and are unreliable. This is really the only thing that works well." She stopped and thought. "The Cat's Tongue wouldn't really lock you in your female form; it just makes hot water painful. It wouldn't prevent accidents at all."

Ranko stared at the bottles, which looked so innocuous. Three weeks without the craziness of the curse, but… but maybe the rest of her life as a girl. She might want that someday soon, but not right now. Still, the odds were pretty good. She swallowed. "I'll… I'll do it." She hoped by the time she'd used the water a few times she would have made up her mind once and for all. Right now, being Ranko was too new for her to embrace it forever.

Cologne nodded. "Shampoo, could you fetch me a baster from the kitchen?" Shampoo nodded mutely and left, returning moments later with an ordinary roast baster. Cologne walked over to her, took it, and walked back. She removed one of the heavy-looking bottles from the trunk, carefully set it upright, and turned back to Ranko. "Come here, child."

Ranko nervously walked over to Cologne. "I'm… I'm ready."

Cologne removed the latched stopper from the large bottle, inserted the baster, and carefully withdrew a few teaspoons of the contents. She restoppered the bottle before turning back to Ranko. She raised the baster over Ranko's head, and discharged the contents onto her; it soaked into her hair. "There. It's done." Shampoo closed her eyes and bowed her head.

Ranko blinked. She didn't feel any different, just… wet, though that feeling was disappearing rapidly. Cologne repacked the bottle and placed it back in the padding.

When the trunk was closed, Ranko asked, "Are you sure this worked?"

Cologne nodded. "I'm sure. Let's go back into the dining area. Mousse, fetch a kettle." Mousse nodded. A few moments later, they were all assembled back in the front of the Nekohanten. Mousse appeared with a kettle, after a quick detour into a closet. Shampoo took it, and poured more than enough hot water onto Ranko to cause the change.

Nothing happened.

Ranko felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. The curse, and all the magic associated with it, still gave her the creeps. Even when that magic caused the curse to appear to be absent. How could ordinary-looking water do things like this? Despite the warmth of the water, she shivered.

Nodoka as well found her mouth a bit dry from all of this. "Well, dear, it looks like your hot water problems are solved, at least for the time being."

_We hope_, thought Akane.

* * *

Akane watched Ranko as they walked with her mother to the Tendou Dojo. Ranko was looking around, her eyes wide, taking in everything. She almost looked like a child, seeing the world for the very first time. _In a way, she is_, thought Akane.

As they walked along the large shopping street near the Nekohanten, many young men passed them, each taking time to give the two pretty girls the once over, especially Ranko. This was not the first time Ranko had experienced this, but it was happening much more often than it ever had before. She guessed it must be because she now looked much more the part. It… it didn't bother her as much as it had when it was a direct affront to her manhood. Still, the pleasure of knowing she was pretty enough to be worth looking at was offset by the thought of what was going through the minds of the young men who looked at her.

Ranko worried about running into some of her schoolmates, but so far they seemed not to have. "Akane, Mom, I… I think that I wanna… want to spend less time here in the usual places during break. I… I'm not ready to meet people from school yet."

Akane nodded. "Sure, Ranko. I know lots of places we can go, other places right here in Nerima, or even downtown. Have you been downtown very often? To Shinjuku or Shibuya or Harajuku?"

Ranko shook her head. "No, not really… where's Harajuku?"

Akane blinked, then offered a lopsided grin. "You and I are going on a mission, girlfriend." Ranko nodded uncertainly.

Yuka and Sayuri were just finishing lunch in a little cafe on the main shopping street near Fuurinkan High. Yuka was drinking her coffee while Sayuri was indulging in a little French pastry.

Yuka was just taking a sip when she heard Sayuri's fork clatter to the plate. She looked up, to find Sayuri's eyes bulging as she looked past Yuka. Turning around, Yuka just barely caught a glimpse of a red-haired girl and two other women passing out of view beyond the plate-glass window. Nothing remarkable. She turned back to Sayuri, and found her mouth hanging wide open. "What… what is it, Sayuri-chan?"

"Ran… Ran…" Sayuri trailed off.

Yuka started to look concerned. "Sayuri-chan, what's wrong? I just saw a redhead and her friends, is all." She stopped. "A redhead?" she repeated to herself.

Sayuri nodded. "Yuka-chan, how many Japanese girls do you know who have red hair?"

Yuka shook her head. "It couldn't be. She was wearing a dress, and her hair was styled. Maybe… maybe she was an American?"

Sayuri shook her head. "She was Japanese. I got a better look than you did, Yuka-chan. One of the girls with her was Akane. And… and the girl was about Ranma's height when he's female. Maybe seven centimeters shorter than Akane. And she looked like Ranma's female form. They were with an older woman who also had reddish hair." She sighed. "It was him… her… all right. There's no doubt in my mind."

Yuka was mystified. "But why is he walking around as a girl? And… and he was acting so strangely at school this week."

Sayuri shook her head slowly. "I don't know. But we're going to find out. Something very strange is going on here."

* * *

Kasumi regarded the cup of tea in her hands. "Move out?…" she asked again.

Akane flushed. "It… it's just for the summer break, Oneechan. I… I don't want to leave here for good, yet. I'd like to be near Ranko during this time, to help support her." She and Ranko smiled.

"And… what about after summer break? Will you be staying with your mother, Ranko-chan?"

Ranko's head drooped. "I… I don't know. I want to be near Mom again, to get to know her better, but… but I know I would miss all of you." Her eyes misted over. "I don't know what to do…"

Kasumi thought a moment. She knew it was important to have Ranko near her mother again, for the two to reestablish the ties between them. Besides… she thought Father might be bringing Uncle Saotome home soon. It would be much better if neither Ranko nor Akane were around when he arrived. Having them not too far away, but not in the same house, might make it easier to reconcile the family.

Kasumi was undoubtedly the only person in the room who thought this was even remotely possible.

She smiled. "Why don't we worry about that later, Ranko-chan? You have so much on your mind right now. Go live with your mother for a few weeks, get to know her again. And I think Akane will enjoy staying with you. It will help her start getting ready for when she goes off to college."

Nabiki lifted her eyes briefly from her business magazine to look at Kasumi. She shook her head. Oneechan was always surprising her. She went back to reading.

"Do please come back and visit us, though, OK?" Akane and Ranko both nodded and smiled.

Akane looked nervous. "Well, Oneechan, I… I guess we had better get packed."

Nodoka said, "Akane-chan, why don't Kasumi-chan and I help you get packed?" Nabiki smiled as she read; there weren't too many people who called Kasumi "Kasumi-chan". "Most of Ranko's things are over at my place already, since we bought so much today."

Kasumi smiled. "I'd love to see what you bought some time, Ranko-chan."

Nodoka's face brightened. "Why don't I have you girls over to dinner some evening? I'm sure you could use a break from cooking, couldn't you, Kasumi-chan?"

Kasumi nodded enthusiastically. "I would love to come over and see your home, Auntie."

Everyone glanced at Nabiki. "Fine by me," she said, not lifting her eyes.

Kasumi went to fetch some suitcases from storage while Nodoka, Akane, and Ranko headed up the stairs. Ranko paused at the door to her room. "I'll see you in a bit, OK? It won't take me long to collect things." She went inside.

The room was dark, so she went to open the curtains, and took a look around. She went through the closet and the drawers looking for things. She had precious little she needed to take with her: her other dress, her one bathing suit, the school clothes. Ranma had had very few possessions, and all the clothes were male clothes. He had not had the luxury of collecting trinkets during the long hard years spent with his father.

Ranko had an eerie feeling as she went through the room, as if she were rifling the belongings of a dead man. She shivered. As she was pulling out one of her own drawers in the old dresser, it caught on her father's, spilling its contents on the floor.

She sighed as she started picking up her father's items and replacing them. A spare pair of glasses, some of his clothes, and… the Jusenkyou brochure. Ranko smiled. If Pop… Father hadn't taken her… him there, she never would have had the opportunity to try being herself again, as she was now. It was a good thing the brochure had been in Chinese, which her father couldn't read, or she never would have gotten the chance. Crazed as he was about training grounds, even Father would have given Jusenkyou a wide berth. She moved to put it back in the drawer, then stopped.

This brochure was in Japanese.

She flipped through it. It was all there: about the pools, about the curses, some history, even a map of the pools, with… with…

With the Nyanniichuan and Shonmaoniichuan circled in pencil.

She was stunned. Father had had a Japanese brochure? He _knew_ about the springs? About the springs of drowned girl and drowned panda in particular? Had he planned to go there? Why? Or was this something he had picked up after their visit?

Ranko shook her head. It seemed her father had lied to her about a lot of things. It would have to wait until she confronted him. She placed the brochure in her purse, and continued picking up.

She came to a photograph. It showed a younger Genma, with a maybe 8 year old Ranma. It looked like it had been taken on the road somewhere. Genma was seated, and Ranma was standing next to him. Genma was smiling proudly and had his hand laid on Ranma's shoulder; Ranma had a quiet, neutral expression on his face.

Akane, Nodoka, and Kasumi were knee-deep in packing. Akane had sorted out her summer clothes, since she would be back before the weather changed. Still, she had several suitcases full of clothing and belongings, and it would take all three of them to carry it back. She hoped Ranko didn't have too much; if there were much more they would need to call a taxi.

Nodoka lifted her head, as if she had heard something. Akane and Kasumi stopped, and strained their ears. There was quiet crying coming from down the hall. The three women looked at each other, and Nodoka stood to go check.

She found Ranko kneeling on the floor, the contents of a spilled drawer around her, crying over a photograph. She gently took the photograph from her daughter's hands and embraced her. How wonderful it was to be a mother again, to be able to comfort her child.

"What is it, dear? What's wrong?"

"It's… it's Pop. I mean, Father. How… how could he have lied to me about so much? I… I thought he loved me! How could he have done that to me if he loved me? I miss him so much…" She continued crying softly into Nodoka's embrace. The thought of how unmanly it was to cry this way flitted briefly across her consciousness, then was dismissed. She didn't have to worry about that for now, and… and she didn't really care. It felt so good to deal with her emotions as they came, rather than bottle them up as her father had taught her to. To hell with being manly.

Nodoka didn't know what to do about this issue. She had guessed that Ranko would not be able to stand cutting off all contact her father. She had no idea how it would be possible to reconcile Ranko's need for Genma with everyone's anger at the atrocity he had committed, her own and Ranko's most of all. She sighed.

* * *

Yuka fidgeted. They could be shopping, or going to the movies, or any one of a number of fun things. But no, they had to play Holmes and Watson.

"Sayuri-chan," she said, with more than a little whine in her voice, "this is incredibly dull. How long are we going to stand here? Let's go do something else!"

Sayuri once again peeked around the corner at the entrance to the Tendou Dojo, then pulled her head back. "They have to come out some time or other."

"Assuming it really was Akane you saw."

"I'm sure of it. It was definitely Akane, and they were headed in this direction."

"Sayuri-chan, someone walking down that street could be going practically anywhere in Tokyo."

"Yuka-chan, please, just a little longer. Don't you want to find out what's going on?"

Yuka tilted her head and thought. "I… I guess so. Ranma's life is so weird, though, it'll probably turn out to be just another one of those crazy things he does." She sighed.

Suddenly they heard a gate creak. They both peeked an eye around the corner. Out of the gate, loaded with suitcases, came Akane, the middle-aged woman, and… and…

There was no doubt. It was Ranma. He… she was in female form. Her hair had been styled, she was wearing a green sundress and sandals, and she looked as if she might be wearing lipstick. She was beautiful. Yuka sighed. Why did a boy have to be the prettiest girl at Fuurinkan?

Voices came. "I don't know dear, this is a lot of luggage. Shouldn't we call a taxi?"

Ranma shook her head. "Don't worry, Mom. Akane and me'll handle it OK."

The woman scolded, "Ranko, your language."

"I'm sorry, Mother. Akane and I will be able to handle the luggage. We're both pretty strong."

Sayuri and Yuka looked at each other. "Mother?" Ranma was going around as a girl with Akane and his _mother_? Who was teaching him to talk like a girl, and was calling him "Ranko"? Yuka whispered to Sayuri, "Gomen, Sayuri-chan. No movie could top this." Sayuri nodded in satisfaction.

Akane, Ranma, and her mother set off, and Sayuri and Yuka trailed them at a discreet distance.

After about twenty minutes of walking (during which time their quarries were stopped twice by men offering assistance, politely declined), the three turned into a residential street. Sayuri and Yuka followed, and turned a corner just in time to see them disappear into a house. They walked up to the gate, and looked at the name plate. "Saotome".

Yuka turned to Sayuri. "I guess this is Ranma's family home. I didn't even know his family lived in Nerima." She paused. "So what do we do now? I hope you're not going to suggest we wait here until they come out again. It'll be dinner time soon."

Sayuri had been thinking the whole time, but didn't have an answer. "Ummm… let me think…"

She was still thinking five minutes later, Yuka tapping her foot impatiently, when the front door to the Saotome home opened again; she and Yuka quickly hid behind a pillar. All three women (well, two and a half, thought Yuka) came out again.

Ranma's mother turned to the others. "I know it's been a long day, girls, but I just need a few things for dinner. If you help me out a little, dinner will be ready sooner."

Akane and Ranma chorused "Hai!" They turned to head for the shopping street when one of the neighbors came out of her house and walked over to them.

"Saotome-san! How nice to see you again. And with two lovely young ladies! Won't you introduce them to me?"

Nodoka bowed slightly. "Matsui-san, this is my daughter Ranko, and her childhood friend, Tendou Akane." Each girl bowed in turn, and greeted the neighbor.

Matsui-san seemed agitated. "Your daughter? You've finally found her again after all these years? Didn't she disappear with your husband when she was four?"

Nodoka nodded and smiled. "Yes, but recently we were reunited."

Matsui-san was fussing over Ranko. "How wonderful! She's such a beauty! The image of you when we first met. You must be so happy to have your daughter back."

"You are too kind, Matsui-san. Yes, she is a great joy to me."

The pleasantries continued in this vein for a few moments more, not that it mattered: Yuka and Sayuri were too far gone in shock to hear anything else. When they became aware of their surroundings again, Ranma's mother and her two charges were gone.

"Sayuri-chan, could… could this be Ranma's twin sister? Maybe… maybe it's not Ranma…"

Sayuri knit her brow. "Yuka-chan, this girl looks exactly like Ranma's female form. Exactly. Even if Ranma had a twin sister, she couldn't be an identical twin. She's been with Ranma's father since she was four, and we know that Ranma and his father traveled by themselves. And… Akane has been acting protective of Ranma all week. And you heard them in the locker room! Ranma said it was the first time the boys had looked at _her_ body. And she said she didn't want to turn back into a boy."

She swallowed. "It… it sounds like… Ranma… Ranko… is a girl. And she just found out about it. Oh, my…"

They stood there for several more minutes, digesting that, until mother, daughter, and friend returned. They were talking. "Akane, what's so great about Harajuku?"

"Well, it's just fun to visit. They have all sorts of little shops with all sorts of cute things, and it's fun to watch the people. Mind you, one visit goes a long way, but you have to see it once. Besides, I thought you wanted to get out and around a bit."

"I… I guess so. Tomorrow morning?"

"Sure. Let's leave after the rush hour, OK? I don't want to have to stand on the train."

"OK."

Sayuri and Yuka looked at each other. "Tomorrow morning, Watson. The game is afoot." They giggled.

* * *

Ranko wondered at the sea of humanity she was floating on. Every teenager in Tokyo was out of school, and it seemed like they were all right here in Harajuku. She hardly ever went downtown, and the sheer numbers of people in Tokyo amazed her, just like any visitor from the countryside. At the moment, she and Akane were working their way out of the Harajuku station of the Yamanote line, which had been built to resemble a train station in the English countryside, of all things.

They finally escaped through the exit gates, and stood on a sidewalk with the train tracks on one side and a huge street on the other. Hordes of people walked every which way. There were sidewalk vendors hawking all sorts of items. Behind them, on the other side of the train tracks, was the Meiji Shrine, an oasis of green in the middle of the urban chaos.

Ranko swept her gaze over the entire scene. "What do you think we should do first, Akane?"

"Why don't we start with a little chat… 'Ranko-chan'." Akane and Ranko froze, then slowly turned around.

They smiled nervously. "O-ohayou, Sayuri-chan, Yuka-chan…"

A half hour later four girls were sitting quietly on a bench on the grounds of the Meiji Shrine. The mood was very subdued.

Yuka seemed close to tears. "I… I can't believe your father did that to you, Ranko-chan." There was a chorus of agreement.

Sayuri thought back over the few months she had known Ranma. Always obnoxious, macho, overbearing, and dismissive of women. And yet… there had been the rare occasions when Ranma had shown some of his inner self, tantalizing glimpses of sensitivity and vulnerability. It was amazing what he… she had been hiding inside. She looked over at the redhead who was looking off into the woods, her face pensive and her lips pursed. _You really can't judge a book by its cover, can you_, she thought.

"So, Ranko-chan," she said, "you're going to try this out over summer break? You're not sure you want to be a girl again?"

Ranko's head sank to her chest, and her voice dropped to a near whisper. "I… I think I do want to be a girl again. But… but I've been a boy for so long… I don't know if I can… and… what will everyone think of me?" She shut her eyes tightly, a few tears forcing their way out.

Yuka took one of Ranko's hands. "Ranko-chan, I don't know what 'everyone' will think, but I don't think that there is anything wrong with you being a girl again. I… I think you're just a girl who's had some horrible things done to her." Yuka smiled. "I… I'd be happy to help and support you. Even if you decide you want to stay a boy."

Ranko's face lit up. "Really, Yuka-chan? You… you really don't think I'm some kind of… of pervert?"

Akane and Sayuri looked at each other. What had they been doing to Ranko all this time by calling her names? Calling her a pervert without understanding what she was going through inside? Akane suddenly put her hand over her eyes and bowed her head. Sayuri didn't feel too good herself.

Yuka scowled. "Of course not, Ranko-chan! You didn't ask for any of this to happen to you."

Sayuri spoke up. "I feel the same way, Ranko-chan. I'd like to help. You… you deserve it." Ranko was positively beaming, and Akane managed a smile.

_She sure seems like a real girl to me_, thought Sayuri. Ranko seemed to be acting an awful lot like a normal girl, considering she had been living as one for less than a week. Then again, maybe she didn't need to practice… Her behavior seemed natural, unforced. Ranma's manhood had always seemed more than a little exaggerated; he had always leapt to defend it.

Now, that shell was gone, and they were getting a look at what had been inside it. Sayuri had never seen Ranma as relaxed as Ranko seemed now, even though she had been upset recently. _I… I guess "Ranma" was the role that needed practice_, she thought.

She stood up. "Ranko-chan, Akane-chan, I seem to remember that you were coming to have some fun in Harajuku." She smiled mischievously. "Would you care to make it a foursome?" Akane and Ranko looked at each other and grinned.

* * *

"What did you call it?"

"PU-RI-KU-RA—that's an abbreviation of the English for 'Print Club'. You get your picture taken and it makes stickers with the photo on it."

Ranko looked at the line of teenage girls in front of them, patiently waiting to use the machine. She found it hard to believe it was worth waiting this long for stickers with pictures on them.

Akane noted the skeptical look. "You do it with your friends. That way, you have stickers with your picture taken together, and you can stick it in your books and things, so you have your friend's pictures around all day at school." The line moved forward, while Ranko thought about what it would be like to have friends—more than just one—whom she cared about that much.

Eventually, Yuka reached the front of the line, and turned around. "Hey guys… want to see if we can get four of us in here at once?" She grinned.

The girls behind them in line rolled their eyes as all four of them crowded in front of the machine. It was a very tight fit.

_flash_

"Sayuri-chan, your hand was in front of Akane-chan's face." "It's still in front of my face!"

_flash_

"Ranko-chan, you had your eyes closed."

_flash_

"Please don't print that one of me. Please." There was giggling.

From outside the curtain came a voice. "Are you planning to take all day in there?"

_flash_

"Perfect!"

In short order, they were walking away from the booth with a set of printed stickers, which they divided evenly among themselves. Ranko looked at the photo. Akane, Yuka, Sayuri, and… herself. Four… four teenage girls, all giggling like mad and having a great time. _I'm… I'm wearing a dress, and shopping, and giggling… and… and I thought I'd hate it but I'm having a good time_, thought Ranko. _It's not at all what I thought it would be like. I'm… I'm happy…_

Akane noticed the huge smile on Ranko's face, and smiled herself.

They wandered up Takeshita street, a narrow alley with all sorts of specialty shops. It seemed as if they were awash in a sea of teenagers; making progress was like swimming. Ranko goggled at seeing people other than Chinese Amazons with purple hair. Groups of girls like themselves were all over, browsing through the shops. Clothes, old records and CDs, jewelry, even a shop devoted to used blue jeans from America. Sayuri called out, "Ranko-chan! Have a look at these earrings! They're perfect for you!"

Ranko looked at the earrings Sayuri had taken from a display in front of the store. They were made of beautiful green jade, the perfect shade for her red hair… and were made for pierced ears. She sighed. "I… I really like them, but I… I'm not ready to pierce my ears yet."

"Oh…" said Sayuri, hanging the earrings back on the display. She saw how Ranko's face had fallen as she looked wistfully at the earrings. "Well, over there are some great scarves! You guys go ahead, I'll be right there. There's something I want to look at." As the others moved off, she took the earrings off the display once more and took them to the register…

Sayuri caught up with them as they were looking at the store that specialized in Totoro merchandise. The other girls tried to get Ranko to buy some Totoro pajamas, but she wasn't sure she was ready for that yet, either.

Eventually, they stumbled out the other end of Takeshita street.

"Hey, Ranko," said Akane, "I know just the thing. There's an ice cream place just a few meters down this street."

"Ice cream?" Ranko's face lit up. They started walking. After a while, Akane called out, "Here it is!"

Ranko looked around. She didn't see any ice cream place. "Where is it, Akane?"

"It's right in front of you."

Ranko looked up. All she saw was an old bus up on the sidewalk, in front of one of the trendy stores that lined the street. Its sign said "destination: home town". On the windshield was painted the legend "Ice Cream, Sherbet". People were lined up to go inside. "It's in the _bus_?"

Akane grinned.

* * *

Several hours later, the four were headed back to Nerima on the train, after squirming their way through the crowd in Harajuku station once more. None of them had really bought very much, but they had tried on or looked at a staggering amount of merchandise, talking the whole time. Ranko had heard from Sayuri about her piano lessons, from Yuka about her interest in Western poetry, from Akane about her interest in drama. They talked about the other girls at school and what they were like, the social groups that had formed, the school clubs and activities, the boy that Yuka was interested in. Yuka tried to pump Ranko for "inside information" on him, but all Ranko knew was that he seemed nice enough.

Ranko had talked a little about her martial arts. The others listened with genuine interest, and Akane told a story or two about Ranko's adventures, but afterwards Ranko fell silent, for she found she had nothing else in particular to make conversation about. She… she didn't have any other interests. Had martial arts taken up so much time as to exclude everything else, or… had she used it to take up all her time so as to exclude everything else?

Akane interrupted her thoughts. "So, Ranko, what did you think of Harajuku?"

Ranko crossed her eyes. "It was almost too much. I don't think I've seen that much cute stuff in one place in my entire life. It's the cute center of the universe." They all laughed.

Akane nodded. "I told you one visit went a long way." They laughed again.

After changing trains once, they disembarked at the Nerima station near Nodoka's house. Ranko and Akane faced Sayuri and Yuka.

Ranko spoke. "Yuka-chan, Sayuri-chan… I… I was worried when I found out you had followed us, but… I had a great time today. Being with all of you was so much fun. Thank you."

Yuka and Sayuri smiled broad smiles. "We had fun, too, Ranko-chan," said Sayuri. "I… we didn't know what to expect when we followed you after spotting you yesterday, and when we found out about you, we… we wanted to talk. I'm really glad we got a chance to meet and talk with you."

Yuka piped up. "Let's… let's get together again soon, OK?" Everyone agreed.

Ranko turned to Akane. "We should probably be going, Akane. Mother is probably working on dinner already."

A chorus of "ja ne!", and Ranko and Akane headed home. Sayuri and Yuka turned towards their own homes, walking together.

"Want to give odds on her coming back to school as a boy?"

"No way."

* * *

Over the next few days, Akane took Ranko all over Tokyo. Since Ranko had spent so much of her life on the road, she hadn't seen very much of it despite having been born there. In line with Dr. Toufuu's suggestion to not hang around their usual spots, Akane thought it was a perfect opportunity for Ranko to see more of her birthplace.

They traveled all over, visiting the sights that every Tokyoite was bored stiff with by the age of 12, but which Ranko had never seen. They did the tourist thing at the Tokyo Tower. They went to Shibuya and Ginza and the other shopping areas and window-shopped. They browsed the bookstores in Kanda, visited the temple at Asakusa, strolled through the gardens of the Imperial Palace.

One day, Akane and Ranko were just finishing breakfast when the door chime rang. Nodoka called "Hai" and hurried over to open the door, revealing… Shampoo. Ranko and Akane looked at each other.

Nodoka smiled. "Why, Shampoo-chan, what a nice surprise! Please do come in." The purple-haired Chinese Amazon girl bowed respectfully and stepped inside.

Ranko walked over to greet her, an uncertain look in her eyes. "He-hello, Shampoo." Akane came up behind Ranko, frowning slightly.

Shampoo looked over Ranko from head to toe, and tried to smile. She answered the unasked question: "Today Shampoo day off, want come see Ai… Ranko." She bit her lip slightly at her slip of the tongue. Her eyes wandered around the Saotome living room.

Ranko had not missed the slip, and swallowed nervously. She followed Shampoo's gaze. "This is the house where I lived when I was born. Would you… would you like to see it?"

Shampoo nodded, and they led her on a short tour of the Saotome home, winding up in Ranko's room. Shampoo took in all the details: dolls on the bed, lacy curtains, soft pastel colors. She wandered over to the dresser, and noted the knickknacks and photographs of Ranko as a child. She moved to the bed and sat heavily on it, looking around one more time. The man she had thought she knew could never have lived in a room like this. Apparently, she had been in love with an illusion. She looked at the floor, frowning, her lips pursed.

Akane and Ranko looked at each other. Ranko turned to Shampoo and asked "Shampoo? Are you all right? What's wrong?"

Shampoo looked up and found Ranko leaning down to look at her, concern on her face. _She has such beautiful, expressive eyes_, thought Shampoo. _You can see what's in her heart just by looking into them. Before, they were like a closed door._ Shampoo looked into Ranko's eyes for a long time, as if she were looking for something and having trouble finding it.

Ranko found Shampoo's gaze unnerving; she dropped her eyes, and straightened up. Shampoo looked down again, embarrassed. When would she be able to attain the emotional detachment Great-grandmother had, the cool rationality necessary in one who was supposed to lead? She had listened to her heart to the exclusion of her mind.

She tried to collect herself. "Shampoo OK." She stood up, and bowed. "Shampoo sorry to intrude. Go now." She seemed very somber.

Ranko felt like she had to do something. "You… you don't have to go. You're not intruding."

Akane looked at her watch. "Ranko, we were going to be leaving soon." Ranko nodded.

Shampoo's curiosity got the better of her. "Ranko, Vio… Akane going somewhere?" Shampoo winced. Old habits were hard to break. Akane didn't miss this slip, either, and fumed silently.

Ranko looked nervously back and forth between the two of them. "We were… we were going to go to Tokyo Disneyland today. We wanted to get there early, to beat the crowds a little."

Shampoo nodded. "Shampoo go, then." She tried a smile and failed miserably. "Have fun, OK?"

Ranko turned to Akane, pleading in her eyes. Akane looked cross for a moment, then seemed to come to a decision, nodding a bit sullenly.

Ranko turned back to Shampoo. "Would… would you like to come with us?"

Shampoo, startled, looked up. "Really?" She turned to Akane, with a hopeful expression on her face. "Akane, is OK?"

Akane wanted to be angry, but she'd never seen Shampoo this depressed before. The normally effervescent Amazon was terribly morose. She didn't think it could hurt: she was no longer worried about Shampoo fawning on Ranko. If she did, she would just be making a fool of herself. Ever since Ranko had shown up at the Nekohanten as herself, though, Shampoo had seemed to back off from her physical affections. She seemed to be slowly coming to terms with what had happened. Akane knew that Ranko liked Shampoo at some level, and wanted to help cheer her up.

Akane nodded. "We're going in order to relax and have fun. I… wouldn't mind if the three of us relaxed and had fun." She looked Shampoo straight in the eye. "All three of us, together."

Shampoo nodded in understanding, and a genuine smile started to spread across her face. "OK." Ranko smiled.

Many hours later, as dinnertime approached, they were on their way home, chatting excitedly about all they had seen and done. Akane had been to Disneyland many times before, but this had been the first time for Ranko and Shampoo. Ranko had thought it would be like some kind of big festival, but it had been something else again.

The had toured the attractions, filled up on junk food, and ridden the rides. Akane had watched with quiet joy as Ranko laughed from pure, childlike delight. Ranko hadn't screamed quite as much as Shampoo and Akane had on some of the rides—after the Nekoken, her threshold for fear was a bit higher—but they had all had fun together. The rivalries between the three of them had seemed to take the day off, too.

Shampoo waved goodbye to both of them at the Fuurinkan station and turned towards the Nekohanten with a smile on her face. This day had turned out so much better than she had expected. She would never have imagined that she could have that much fun with the two of them. To her surprise, she had found herself growing to like Akane, now that she wasn't fighting with her constantly. Her thoughts drifted back to her life at Joketsuzoku; she hadn't had fun like this, just hanging out with girlfriends, in years—

Suddenly, she stopped short, as if she'd run into a brick wall. Shampoo realized in shock that early on in their visit to Disneyland, the fact that Ranko used to be a boy—not just any boy, but Ranma, her Airen—had quietly faded from her mind. She'd been thinking of Ranko as a girlfriend for most of the day, and she hadn't even realized it until now. Ranko's behavior had seemed so… natural, that Shampoo had simply fallen into thinking of her that way.

She resumed walking towards the Nekohanten in a much more thoughtful mood.

* * *

One afternoon, Ranko and Akane were sitting in the living room watching TV when Nodoka came out of the kitchen and stood over them.

"Ranko, dear, did you ever learn to cook when you were on the road with your father?"

Ranko looked a little confused. "Well, he… I learned a little. You know, camping-style food." She made a face. "We had a lot of meals which were just rice. I sure know how to make that!"

Her mother smiled. "Would you like me to teach you how to cook?"

Ranko started to object that guys don't cook, but stopped. She wasn't a guy; at least, not for the summer, and maybe… "I… I don't know. Is this something I should learn?"

Her mother nodded. "I think it's something everyone should learn, though the men seem to want to leave it mostly to us." She made a face herself, as Ranko blushed in embarrassment. "If you ever get married, your husband will probably expect you to do it."

Ranko's eyes started to glaze over. The idea of being someone's wife… of cooking for them… of being a moth… being a moth… she couldn't imagine it; she was still getting used to the idea of being a girl. She blocked those thoughts out. But a tiny part of her felt strangely excited.

Akane piped up. "I'd love to help Ranko learn to cook!" Ranko instantly snapped out of her mental dithering, her adrenaline surging. Daydreams had to wait; this was an emergency.

Nodoka smiled. "That's very kind of you, Akane-chan, but my kitchen is rather small, and I think there won't be much room in there if I am trying to help Ranko. Besides, I'd like to teach her the way my mother taught me." Ranko awaited Akane's answer, holding her breath.

Akane's face fell, then she smiled. "I… I guess so, Auntie…"

Ranko sagged in relief, her heart still pounding. That had been close…

Nodoka said gently, "Don't worry, Akane-chan, once I get Ranko started, we can all three work in the kitchen!" Akane nodded, and smiled. Ranko turned pale.

Nodoka turned to her daughter. "Well, dear?"

The tiny, excited part of Ranko's mind prodded her. "Sure… I mean, yes, Mother, I'd like that." She got up and followed her mother into the kitchen.

That evening at dinner, Nodoka was beaming, and Akane was impressed; Ranko seemed to have a talent for cooking. She blushed as her mother complimented her on how well she had done for a beginner. Nodoka turned to Akane and said "I think we'll be ready for you to join us soon, Akane-chan!" Ranko's blush faded quickly. She wasn't looking forward to that.

* * *

A few days later, while they were eating lunch, Nodoka suddenly looked distracted, then clapped a hand to her mouth.

"What is it, Mother?" asked Ranko, concerned.

Her mother shook her head. "Nothing that bad. I've been having so much fun having you two here that I completely forgot a date I had. I'm supposed to go to Hakone tomorrow for a couple of days to meet a classmate of mine at one of the hot springs. We get together there every summer."

Ranko looked perplexed. "Hot springs? In August?"

Akane chimed in. "Oh, they're up the side of the mountain, Ranko. It's quite cool there at night, even during the worst of summer. We went a lot when I was younger, but it's been quite a while for me."

Ranko nodded thoughtfully. "Well, I don't see why you shouldn't go, Mother. I think Akane and I can take care of ourselves for a couple of days."

Akane beamed. "That's right! I can help with the cooking!"

Ranko thought frantically to come up with an escape; her mother saved her. "Well, I'm sure you two would be fine, but would you like to come with me? I would love to show you off to my classmate; she hasn't seen you since you were a little girl. Have you ever been to a hot spring, dear?" She was surprised when her daughter's face fell.

"Yes," she said sadly, "but hot springs and Jusenkyou curses don't really mix well." Nodoka frowned. She hadn't thought of that.

Akane reminded her, "But Ranko, your curse is locked right now. You wouldn't have any problem at all."

Ranko looked up in surprise. "You're… you're right." To actually enjoy a hot spring, and not have to worry about her curse?… And, she would be saved from Akane's cooking! She started to smile, and turned to her mother "Yes, Mother, I'd love to come!"

Nodoka smiled. "You're invited too, of course, Akane-chan." Akane nodded enthusiastically. "After lunch, I will call the inn where we have reservations; I should be able to get a room for you two to share."

The next day, after an hour's train ride from Tokyo, they found themselves in Hakone station, where they transferred to the cog railway that made its way up the side of the mountain in a series of switchbacks. After about twenty minutes of breathtaking views, they got off in the small town of Miyanoshita, where their inn was located.

A short walk brought them to it. As they walked in the front door with their bags, a middle-aged woman who had been sitting in the lobby got up and rushed over.

"Nodoka-chan! It's so good to see you again!"

Nodoka beamed. "Reiko-chan! You look wonderful!"

Her friend noticed the two girls and smiled. "And who are these two young ladies?" Before Nodoka could answer, she took a closer look at Ranko. "Nodoka-chan… could this possibly be…" She seemed very excited.

Nodoka nodded happily. "Yes, this is Ranko, my daughter. Ranko, this is Tanaka Reiko. We went to high school together."

Ranko thought that her mother's friend was going to fly apart at the seams, she was so excited. "Ranko-chan, I can't believe it's you! Oh, let me look at you!" She took Ranko by the shoulders and turned her from side to side, as Ranko blushed. "My goodness, I haven't seen you since you were a little girl! Not since your father ran off with you…"

Nodoka said, "We were reunited a couple of weeks ago, quite by accident."

Tanaka-san turned to Akane. "Oh, and I'll bet you must be Akane-chan! I remember you, too; you two always did everything together!" She was still bubbling. "I'm so glad to see that you turned out so nicely, Ranko-chan! Who knows what your father might have done to you?" She noticed as the other three's smiles became a little strained, and dropped her voice. "Did… did something happen to you?"

Twenty minutes later, they were sitting in Nodoka's room, the luggage pushed off to one side. Tanaka-san was much more subdued. "He… he raised you as a _boy_?"

Ranko nodded. "Yes, Ma'am. He… he took me on a martial arts training trip, all over Japan and China, and tried to teach me to be a boy." She omitted the magic and curses; she wasn't ready to share that with everyone, and wasn't sure she ever would be. A part of her wanted to forget it herself.

"How… how awful! How could he do something like that to his own daughter?"

_You don't know the half of it_, thought Akane.

Tanaka-san seemed to revive a little. "Please call me Auntie, Ranko-chan. I remember you very well from when you were little. You too, Akane-chan." She sighed. "Poor Nodoka-chan, I didn't think she would ever recover from losing you. I'm so glad to see you back, safe and sound." She chuckled. "Don't worry, I'm sure your mother will be able to help you overcome the way you were raised." Akane was struck by how hopeful Ranko looked at that.

Auntie Tanaka stood up. "Well, why don't we go have dinner as soon as you are all settled? Then we can all go soak for a while!" Ranko and Akane nodded and smiled; a nice hot bath would be just the thing.

After dinner, they changed into their robes, and headed for the baths. As she stepped inside and headed towards the entrance, Ranko was startled by Akane's hissing behind her. "Ranko! Not _that_ way." She looked up; she had been about to go in the men's side.

At that point, realization hit her, the realization that she should have had when her mother first said the words "hot spring". She was a girl now, all the time. She was going to go in the _women's side_. She was going to sit in a hot spring full of women who were… n-not wearing any clothes.

She had been on the women's side before, of course, but only as part of the usual chaos that surrounded her curse, and then only for a short time. It had always been terribly embarrassing when it had happened. Now… now she was going to be on the women's side from start to finish. And possibly for the rest of her life.

Akane reached over and tugged her sleeve, seeming to read her thoughts. "It's OK… don't worry."

Auntie Tanaka turned to Nodoka. "My goodness, your husband really confused her, didn't he?" Nodoka could do nothing but nod in agreement.

Ranko cautiously entered the women's side. Within moments, she was turning bright red as Akane, her mother, and Auntie Tanaka all proceeded to take their robes and slippers off, and put them in cubbyholes provided for that purpose. Akane turned and found Ranko staring at her and trembling.

Akane sighed. How was Ranko going to be able to be a girl if something like this terrified her? She had to help her get used to it, somehow. And there was only one way to do that… She went over and took Ranko's hand. "It's OK, really. See? I don't mind." She grinned. "I'm not going to pound you for looking at me." Ranko smiled a tiny smile. "I'm a girl, and you're a girl. It's OK, right?" Akane cocked her head.

Ranko slowly nodded, and took off her robe and slippers. Auntie Tanaka was about to comment on her beautiful figure, but something told her it would be wiser to keep quiet just now.

They headed inside, and Ranko found herself in a room full of women, washing themselves in preparation for entering the springs. And none of them were wearing a stitch of clothing. Akane noticed as Ranko's hands flew up to cover her eyes, and she was trembling again.

Akane walked around to face Ranko, and gently took her hands, uncovering her eyes. Ranko looked back at her fearfully. Akane looked around, then led Ranko by the hand over to a full-length mirror on one side of the room. She put her hands on Ranko's shoulders and turned her to face the mirror. Ranko calmed down a little.

"Ranko, what do you see? In the mirror."

Ranko was confused. "I… I see me…"

"Look closely. Is that really you in the mirror, or someone else?"

Ranko did as she was told. She examined the petite, pretty, redheaded Japanese girl looking back at her, and a wave of comfortable familiarity washed over her at the sight; she felt a little better. "Yes… Yes, that's me."

"Is that a boy or a girl?"

Ranko looked again. "It's… I… I'm a girl."

Akane smiled. "Do _we_ girls go to the men's side?"

Ranko felt more relaxed. "No. _We_ don't." She started to smile herself. "Thanks, Akane."

They turned and went to wash off. Ranko was still nervous, but not terrified. Akane led her by the hand again as they went outside to the springs. The pools had a nice view from the side of the mountain, and as promised, the air was quite crisp; Ranko shivered a bit. She heard male voices on the other side of the wall that divided the two sections. _I… I may never be on that side again_, she thought in wonder. _Not that I necessarily want to be…_ she thought back to the locker room incident, and shuddered.

Her mother and Auntie Tanaka had picked out a pool, and Akane and she followed, and climbed in. For a second, as she got in, she felt an icy chill of terror run up her spine, but nothing happened; she sighed, and got all the way in.

The hot water soothed her muscles and relaxed her, and she sagged comfortably against the side of the pool as her tension left her completely. She looked up; the stars were faintly visible. The view from the pool was wonderful. There was a faint scent of sulfur due to the volcanic origin of the springs, but nothing so strong as to be objectionable.

She looked at her companions, and they also showed every sign of being much more relaxed. She noticed there were several other women in their pool, including a couple of girls the same age as she and Akane.

Her mother and Auntie Tanaka were catching up on each other's news since their last meeting, so Ranko turned to Akane. "Akane… Thank you. This can be… a little overwhelming sometimes." She looked around and dropped her voice so only Akane could hear her. "I… I keep expecting everyone will be able to tell I'm not a real girl."

Akane looked Ranko straight in the eye, and whispered her reply forcefully. "Saotome Ranko, I don't know what makes you think you are not a real girl. You are just as real a girl as I am! Stop running yourself down!"

Akane saw hope in Ranko's eyes. "Do… do you really mean that?"

Akane rolled her eyes. "Of course I do, silly! If you weren't a real girl, would I be sitting here naked in a hot spring with you?"

Ranko gave a mischievous smile. "If our fathers had anything to say about it, you would."

Akane made a show of mock anger. "Oh, you!" They both started giggling.

"What's so funny, girls?" Auntie Tanaka and Nodoka were looking over.

"Oh, nothing," said Akane. "Ranko is a little nervous about being here since she was raised as a boy, and we're just joking about it to put her at ease." The two older women nodded and went back to their chat.

Akane turned back to Ranko. "Ranko, I've been meaning to ask you. How… how do you like being a gir… I mean living as a girl again, so far? Is it what you expected?"

Ranko looked thoughtful. "I… no, it's not really what I expected." Akane gave her a questioning look, and Ranko smiled. "Actually, it's much better. I thought… I thought all the 'girl stuff' would bother me, but… but it doesn't, not really. Sometimes I enjoy it." She looked up at the stars. "And… I don't feel all tense and unhappy, like I did when I was… living as a boy." They both glanced over at Auntie Tanaka. "I feel relaxed."

"Does that mean you're going to… keep living as a girl?"

Ranko felt a familiar wave of fear wash over her. "I… I don't know. Right now everything is fine, but… but I still don't know what it would be like to go to school this way. To spend the rest of my life this way. I'm still thinking about it…" Akane nodded, lost in thought.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she and Ranko noticed the two girls their own age making their way over to their side of the pool. Ranko slid down into the water a little bit more.

The two girls came up, and they both looked nervous. "Ex-excuse me, Miss, but… but I was wondering… if… if I might ask you…" She seemed flustered.

Her friend interrupted. "My friend here is nosy, and wants to know where you got your hair colored that shade of red." She grinned. "I think she'd like to try it herself." Her friend blushed.

Ranko relaxed a little, but still felt wary. "I… it's not colored. This is just the color it is."

The tongue-tied girl seemed surprised. "It's natural? Really? I don't think I've ever seen a Japanese girl with red hair before."

Ranko nodded in her mother's direction. "That's my mother over there. See for yourself."

The two girls turned, and sure enough, there was a middle-aged woman who had reddish hair herself. She interrupted her conversation to call over, "Akane-chan, Ranko, did you make some friends?" She and Auntie Tanaka were smiling at them.

The two girls looked embarrassed. "I… I'm sorry for the intrusion." They turned to go.

Something made Ranko speak out. "No… No, that's OK. Do… do you want to sit here for a while?"

The girls looked at each other and smiled. "Sure!" They made their way back, and sat down.

The one who had stuttered to begin with spoke. "I'm Yamaguchi Shiho, and this is my friend Morisawa Yuuko. And you must be Ranko and Akane?" She smiled.

Akane and Ranko smiled back. "I'm Saotome Ranko, and this is my friend Tendou Akane. Did you come from Tokyo, Shiho-san?"

Shiho tilted her head. "Well, Yokohama. Does that count?" They all laughed.

The four of them started chatting, and time passed quickly. Ranko found herself enjoying the talk; she didn't feel quite so much like an intruder, someone who didn't belong. Until the two girls from Yokohama started comparing notes on their boyfriends.

"Say, Ranko-san, Akane-san," said Yuuko, "do you have any boys you're dating right now?" Akane and Ranko both turned red. Akane spoke first. "Um, I… I did have a boyfriend, but… but the… relationship ended recently…" She looked sad.

Shiho and Yuuko were all concern. "Oh, Akane-san, I'm so sorry. That must be hard."

Akane managed a smile. "Don't worry. He and I are… very good friends. It's OK." She and Ranko smiled at each other.

The two other girls nodded. "And you, Ranko-san?"

Ranko once again experienced that deer-caught-in-headlights feeling. "Me? D-Date?" She didn't want to think about that at all. "I… I don't think I'm quite ready for that yet."

Shiho and Yuuko giggled. "You must be the shy type! Don't worry, you'll know you're ready when the time comes." They nodded sagely, and burst into giggles again.

Ranko nodded. "I… I guess."

There was a call from the other side of the pool. "Shiho, Yuuko-chan! We're going!"

The two girls excused themselves. "Well, the call of the parents," said Shiho. "I hope we get a chance to meet you again."

Akane said, "We'll be here until the day after tomorrow." She smiled. "I'd love to get together again, too." Ranko nodded in agreement, and the other girls moved off.

Ranko sat back and sighed. "It… it wasn't so bad, was it?"

Akane knew what she meant. "Remember what I told you. You're a girl, and people see you that way. They can tell better than you can."

Ranko nodded. The bath was so relaxing, it was hard to get nervous about anything. She looked up at the stars, and noticed there seemed to be more of them than before. And they were getting fuzzy…

The next thing she knew, she was lying on a towel in the wash area, with a bath attendant applying a cold washcloth to her forehead. Her mother, Auntie Tanaka, and Akane stood nearby, looking worried. "What… what happened?" asked Ranko. She still felt woozy.

The attendant smiled. "Nothing to worry about, Ranko-chan. You're such a small, light girl, the hot water got to you; your body temperature went up and you fainted. But you're fine now." She stood up. "Try not to spend so much time in the water in one sitting, OK? I think drinking some cold water and going to bed now would be a good idea."

She smiled again, and left, and Ranko got shakily to her feet. She… she had never had this problem before. Then again, she had never soaked in a hot spring as a girl before, and her boy form was a lot bigger. She noticed her new friends standing over in a corner; they came over.

"I'm glad you're OK, Ranko-san. Yuuko and I were worried for a while."

Ranko smiled. "I… I'm fine, thanks. I bounce back pretty quickly."

Shiho giggled. "I'm glad. You were almost as red as that hair of yours!" She shook her head. "I can't believe it's really natural, but there's sure no doubt about it." Ranko wondered why Shiho was so sure now when earlier she had thought it was dyed.

"Anyway," added Yuuko, "See you tomorrow!" They turned and left.

Nodoka said, "We should go too, dear. You should rest."

Ranko nodded, and happened to catch her reflection in the mirror again. Once more, she thought in wonder, _I'm… I'm really a girl_. She shook her head; she could still scarcely believe it. She smiled at the red hair which had so impressed the two other girls. Suddenly, as she looked at herself, she realized how Shiho had known she was a natural redhead, and her knees started to give way.

Akane was there to support her. "You're going to bed, young lady."

Ranko smiled weakly. "No… no argument."

* * *

The next day, Ranko, Akane, and their two new friends explored the Hakone area. They took the cog railway and visited the open-air art museum, then took the cable car up over the volcanic crater, which constantly vented copious quantities of sulfurous fumes. Everyone agreed that it was far too smelly a place to linger for long.

Ranko found that, as with Yuka and Sayuri, she was having fun with friends in a way she never had as a guy. For her, the way they interacted, and did things together, was so much more fun. _I… I guess I really am a girl_, she thought. _Doing things this way just seems so much more relaxed to me…_

After a day of roaming around they were all looking forward to a nice long soak, and after dinner they were once more in the hot springs. The bath attendant had thoughtfully given Ranko a basket of cold, wet washcloths, so that she could last a little longer. Ranko felt the cold cloth on her head, and thought, _I look like Father this way. I… I wonder where he is and what he's doing…_

Shiho noticed Ranko's sad expression. "Ranko-san, what is it?"

Ranko's eyes were downcast. "It's… it's my father. He… he often wears a washcloth like this on his head, and it reminded me of him…" A tear slid down her cheek.

The other girls looked at each other in concern. Akane took Ranko's hand, and explained. "Ranko and her father… have had problems in their relationship. He… uh… wanted a son, and he… that got in the way of him really accepting her as a daughter. He… he left recently, without saying where he was going or when he would be back, and she hasn't seen him in a couple of weeks." Whew. That had been a difficult editing job.

Yuuko nodded thoughtfully. "I… I understand, I think. I… I've been having problems with my father, too. He… he seems to want me to be someone else, the ideal daughter he envisioned." She sighed. "But I still love him… he's still my father."

Ranko nodded silently, more tears streaming down her cheeks. Akane moved over, and put her arm around Ranko, who accepted it gratefully, not even noticing that neither of them were wearing any clothes.

After a while, she felt better. _I… I don't know if I can take all these emotions_, she thought. _It feels better than holding it all inside, but they can be so overwhelming sometimes. I… I never used to cry all the time like this…_ She sniffled a bit. _Then again, I never used to laugh all the time, either…_

After that, the conversation turned to cheerier things, like the schools they went to, and what interests they had, and where they lived. As usual, they were spellbound by some of Ranko's (heavily edited) stories about her martial arts adventures, and Ranko too found each girl to have an interesting set of experiences and interests. As Ranko's time limit in the bath drew near, they exchanged a promise to visit if she and Akane were ever in Yokohama, or if Yuuko and Shiho were in Nerima.

The next morning, the four of them stood in the lobby of the inn, frantically scribbling addresses and phone numbers on inn stationery. Akane and Ranko waved goodbye as the other two girls went off to rejoin their families, then went to join Nodoka and Auntie Tanaka, who were saying their farewells.

"Nodoka-chan, you simply must bring them again next year. Perhaps I can talk my son into coming; he thought it would be as dull as drying paint, but he might change his mind if he knew there were two girls his own age here. Especially two girls as pretty as you!" She winked at Ranko and Akane, and Ranko blushed deeply.

A short while later they were riding the cog railway back down the mountain, where they boarded different trains: Nodoka and her two charges one for Shinjuku, and Auntie Tanaka one for Tokyo station; there she would transfer for Chiba Prefecture, where she lived. Her train left a little later, and so she waved at them from the platform as they pulled out. Ranko waved back, enthusiastically.

As she settled back in her seat for the short ride back to Tokyo, she reflected on the past two days. She had gone out in public as a girl, had met strangers and made friends, and… and no one had had the slightest inkling she had spent twelve years of her life as a boy, physically and mentally, if not emotionally. It had been just perfect, except for fainting in the bath. She shook her head and smiled; she had thought she was used to this body after five months, but obviously it still held surprises for her. _Well, hopefully that's the last big one_, she thought as she looked out the window at the scenery.

Akane saw the calm smile on Ranko's face, and smiled herself. It was obvious Ranko had had a wonderful time, and her fears about living as a girl had diminished a lot. She seemed more and more comfortable with it, and Akane had to admit that had she not known about Ranko, she wouldn't have had a clue about her past. She seemed pretty much like a normal girl, if a little shy.

Nodoka smiled at the two of them. She had been about to ask how they liked their two days at the hot springs, but the expressions on their faces made that unnecessary.

As their train pulled into Shinjuku, Ranko said, "You know, Mother, I… I think I _would_ like to go again next year. That was fun…" Nodoka smiled, and they set off to change to their next train.

* * *

End Chapter 4

Friday, September 8, 2000

**Copyright Notice**

The characters and stories of Ranma ½ are Copyright © Rumiko Takahashi, and are used here without permission or license.

No claims to the above copyright are made by the author of this work.

This work is for non-commercial use ONLY, and is produced for the enjoyment of fans only.

This work is the expression of the author and the depiction of the Ranma ½ characters herein are in no way represented to be a part of Ranma ½ as depicted by the original author and copyright holder(s).


	5. Chapter 5: A Puzzle Put Together

Genma's Daughter

By ClassicalGal

Original concept and parts of chapter 1 by Nesin Evets

Chapter 5: A Puzzle Put Together the Wrong Way

* * *

The days following their return from Hakone were quiet, and they mostly stayed close to home. Nodoka once more pulled Ranko into the kitchen with her, apologizing to Akane that her turn would come soon. One night, Nodoka had a couple of friends over for Mah Jongg, and Ranko helped her prepare dinner for the occasion. The friends fussed over her, and Ranko had a suspicion that her mother was having a grand time showing her daughter off to all of her acquaintances. She couldn't really blame her mother; she had missed out on a lot of mother-daughter time, and her daughter might not last beyond the summer…

After dinner, while the older women were playing their game, Akane approached Ranko. "Ranko, when was the last time you practiced your martial arts?"

Ranko thought for a while. "I… I don't remember," she admitted. "I've been so preoccupied the last couple of weeks…"

Akane shook her head. "If you want to keep up your skills, you know you need to practice every day. You do want to keep up your skills, don't you?" Akane waited for an answer. And waited…

"Ranko?…"

Ranko looked pensive. "I… I don't know, Akane. So much of my life has been nothing but martial arts. Father drilled it into me, and it was like there was no time left over for anything else. Last week, when we were talking with Yuka and Sayuri about our interests, I realized that I didn't really have any others. I… don't like that." Her face grew glum. "And it's a reminder of Father, and what he did to me… But…"

Akane nodded. "I see what you mean. Well, still, shouldn't you maintain your skills, even if you don't practice for hours every day? You've invested so much in them, it seems to me that it would be better to keep up for now, until you decide one way or the other on martial arts."

Ranko looked sheepish. "You're right, Akane. Would… would you please spar with me in the mornings, before breakfast?"

Akane smiled. "I'd love to."

The next morning, they both got up a little earlier, put on their gis, and went out into the back of the house to practice. It wasn't a dojo, but it was the best they could do at the Saotome home.

After some warm-ups and a bow to each other, they began.

Akane watched Ranko's form as they sparred. She was worried. Ranko was off, rusty after weeks of no practice. She was still far better than Akane, or most of the other martial artists they knew, but…

They continued for several minutes; then, suddenly and instinctively, Akane made a leg sweep and knocked Ranko off her feet. When Akane realized what she had done, she gasped, and both hands went to her mouth. Ranko lay unmoving on the grass, plainly shocked by what had happened.

"Ranko… I… I never even managed to touch you before…"

Ranko sat up with a stunned look on her face. "I didn't know I'd gotten that sloppy… I… I guess I need to practice a lot more if I want to stay at the same level." Her face clouded. "I don't know what to do, Akane. I still enjoy it, but…" tears started to gather in her eyes, "I… I don't think I want my whole life to revolve around martial arts anymore. It was my whole life before, when I… I needed to keep convincing myself I was a guy, but now… I'm sick of having to respond to challenges and fight people constantly. I never really wanted to, but Father said it was the… the manly thing to do." She drew her knees up, hugging them. "I don't know what to do…" She glumly rested her chin on her knees and closed her eyes, and Akane knelt beside her and put a hand on her arm.

After a minute, Ranko sighed and stood up, Akane rising with her. Akane regarded her seriously. "If… if that's the way you feel, then you need to put as much time as you are willing to give into your martial arts, and then accept the level that leaves you at." She pursed her lips. "That may not be anywhere near where you were before, but you shouldn't force yourself to do it if you don't want to."

Ranko wiped her eyes. "I… I guess that makes sense. Maybe… maybe 45 minutes a day… or an hour…" she trailed off. "I'm all right now. Let's finish our session."

They resumed, and Akane was overjoyed to see that Ranko took her seriously as an opponent, testing her defenses, but holding back to avoid overwhelming her. Finally, she was being treated seriously by Ranko! She had wanted this badly, ever since their first session together.

Akane managed to get one more hit in during the rest of the session, though never another leg sweep. Ranko improved visibly over the course of their sparring; clearly she had needed the practice. As it drew closer to breakfast time, they called it quits.

After they bowed again, Akane smiled and said, "Ranko, I noticed that you were taking me seriously today. You weren't holding back, except to keep yourself to my level. I… I've been wanting this since I met you. Thanks."

Ranko grinned sheepishly. "I guess now that I'm a girl, I… I can't really think that way any more. That was another thing that Pop… Father pounded into me." She paused. "Akane, thanks for thinking of this. I'm glad I didn't let myself go completely. Come on, let's go wash up for breakfast."

Akane nodded and they headed inside. As she followed the redhead up the stairs towards the bath, she bit her lip in worry. _Ranko, if even I can get through your defenses once in a while, what is going to happen when you fight one of your tougher opponents?_ Maybe Ranko would continue to get better with practice. She hoped so; she knew that many of Ranko's enemies fought first and asked questions later.

Over breakfast that morning, Nodoka had some news. "Girls, I have a cousin who has a beachfront cottage in Ibaraki. They will not be using it this weekend, and my cousin wondered if I would like to take advantage of it for a few days. I mentioned you two and they said you could come, too." She smiled apologetically. "I don't really mean to be dragging you all over Kantou this summer, but you did say you wanted to stay away from Nerima. Are you interested?"

Both girls were excited. "A few days at the beach, away from here! That's perfect, Mother!" Ranko thought for a moment about the wonderful time she had had at Hakone. "Would… would it maybe be possible to invite a few more friends?" Ranko looked hopeful.

Nodoka thought. "I'd better call my cousin and ask her. I don't even remember how many it sleeps. Excuse me just a moment." She went off to use the telephone.

Akane turned to Ranko. "Who are you thinking of, Ranko?"

"I… I don't know. Sayuri and Yuka, maybe. I don't know if Ucchan will be able to get away for that long…" She had a faraway look in her eyes. "I really had a good time in Harajuku. I liked spending time with Yuka and Sayuri. And I liked the girls we met at Hakone." She smiled. "Having friends is so nice…" Akane smiled, too.

Nodoka returned. "I spoke with my cousin. I think this is getting a little larger than she had in mind, but the cottage sleeps five, six with a little crowding. My cousin said as long as you were all well behaved, it wouldn't be a problem." Nodoka smiled. "I take it all of your friends are girls?"

Ranko opened her mouth to answer, but nothing came out. She… she hadn't thought about it until now, but… all of her friends—the ones she truly cared about—_were_ girls. She wouldn't dream of inviting Hiroshi and Daisuke to something like this. Ryouga was sort of a friend, but Ranko couldn't say they were close; after all, he was usually trying to kill him… her. She had never had this kind of close relationship with other boys when she was a boy. She wondered if that was normal for boys, or was just her. Was… was this part of what being a girl was about? Her mother seemed to expect that her friends were all girls. She finally answered, "Yes, Mother, all of them."

Akane stood up. "Let's try calling Sayuri and Yuka, to see if they can come. We could call Ukyou, too."

Ranko thought for a moment. "I think we'd better go see her. She hasn't seen me since just before I… started being Ranko."

Akane nodded. Since Sayuri and Yuka were close friends of Akane, she knew their phone numbers by heart. It was still early on a Sunday, and Ranko dialed the phone.

She waited as the phone rang. "Hello, Kobayashi residence."

"He-Hello. This is Saotome Ranko. I'm a… friend of Sayuri-chan. May I speak with her?"

"Certainly, Ranko-chan, just a moment." Faintly through the receiver she heard "Sayuri! Telephone! A friend named Saotome Ranko…"

Shortly, Sayuri picked up. "Hello, Ranko-chan? What is it?"

Ranko felt butterflies in her stomach. "Sa-Sayuri-chan, I… would you… umm…" she couldn't collect herself.

Giggles came from the other end. "Slow down, Ranko-chan."

Ranko relaxed a little. "Ummm, Akane and me… uh, I… we're going with my mother to a beachside cottage in Ibaraki, on Thursday. We'll be coming back Tuesday. The… the cottage has some extra space… and Mother said I could… could invite some friends." She swallowed nervously; what if Sayuri turned her down? "I… I was wondering if you would like to come, too? I… I'm going to invite Yuka-chan too, of course," she added hastily.

Mercifully, Sayuri's answer came quickly. "Of course I'd love to come, Ranko-chan! That sounds wonderful! Let me check with my mother, though, OK? Could you hang on just a bit?"

After a minute or so of silence, Sayuri came back on the line. "Mother says OK! This is so neat! I'm really excited. Are you inviting anyone else?"

"Ummm, Yuka-chan, of course, and… maybe Kuonji Ukyou, if she can get away from her restaurant. You know her, right?"

Sayuri considered. Akane and Ukyou were about the only friends of Ranko she considered relatively sane. Ukyou did attend school in boy's clothing, but everyone knew the reason for that. "Sure, Ranko-chan, I like her! Why don't you tell Yuka-chan I'm already coming when you call her? Her mother is a little more protective, and it will reassure her."

After arranging to meet at the Saotome home Thursday morning, they said their goodbyes. Ranko called Yuka's house, and it did indeed require a little more negotiation with Yuka's mother. Ranko had to put her own mother on the line for a couple of minutes before Yuka's mother was reassured.

When they were done, Ranko turned to Akane with a huge smile on her face. Akane could barely keep from laughing; Ranko was so excited she seemed ready to start jumping up and down. "This is great, Akane! This will be so much fun!" She was beaming.

Akane's smile was almost as wide. She had never seen Ranko this happy, seen her smile so much, in the whole time since she had arrived at the Dojo so many months ago. She had been so serious, so dour; the difference was amazing. _Ranko, if this is just the beginning for you…_ Akane prayed that Ranko's happiness would continue and grow. Kami-sama knew she deserved it, after all that had been done to her.

* * *

Ukyou leaned on the counter, and sighed. Monday morning was always a little slow, but the lunch crowd would be coming soon. Running her own business was an enormous burden, especially since she was still in high school. Like most small businesses in Japan, she could hardly ever afford to close. She treasured the breaks when they came. She rested her head on her arms…

She jerked awake when the door chime announced a customer. She was glad she had put that in; it gave her an opportunity to wake up from her quick catnaps. She smiled, and opened her mouth to welcome the customers. Her mouth was left hanging open.

After a moment, she found her voice. "Ran… Ranchan?" The pretty redhead who had come in with Akane nodded and blushed slightly. Ukyou looked her over again. "You… uhh… you look great!"

Ranko blushed again. "Thanks, Ucchan."

Ukyou was still a bit overwhelmed. "When… when did you decide to…?"

Ranko's face darkened. "That evening. Right after… after…" she didn't want to say any more.

Ukyou nodded in understanding. "So… how do you like it so far?"

Ranko's face was like the sun coming up. "It… I… I've enjoyed it," she finally said.

_She looks so happy_, thought Ukyou. _I was hoping she would decide to stay a guy, but… she looks so happy. I hope at least that she'll be happy when this is all over. If I really love him… her… shouldn't that come first? If Ranchan really needs to do this…_ She shook her head and tried to focus on the here and now.

"Have a seat, guys! Would you like anything?" Ranko nodded eagerly, and Akane smiled and nodded too. "The usual? OK."

Ukyou set to work at the grill. She loved cooking for her friends. "So what brings you here? I'm sorry I didn't come over. I tried over at Akane's house yesterday, but they told me you had left to move in with Ranchan's mom, and I didn't have time to go over there. I'm so busy!"

Ranko looked disappointed at that last. "Ucchan, I… Akane, my mother, and I are going to be spending a few days at a cottage on the beach in Ibaraki. Yuka and Sayuri are coming, too. I… I was kind of hoping you could come, too. But… but I don't want to mess up your business."

Ukyou smiled. _She wants me to come along…_ The okonomiyaki were ready, and Ukyou considered Ranko's invitation as she brought them to the table. "I don't know, Ranchan. I usually don't close, but… it's been a few years since I took any time off. It sounds like fun…" she trailed off.

Ranko looked more hopeful. She was about to dig into her okonomiyaki, but seemed to remember something. She reached into her purse, pulled out her wallet, and put some money on the table.

Ukyou was surprised. "Ranchan… what… why?"

Ranko's face grew serious. "Ucchan, I… I don't want to be like my father any more. I don't want to be a freeloader any more."

Ukyou's eyes widened a little. _Ranchan is changing so much…_ She smiled, and pushed the money back. "Sugar, you're like family to me. Both of you. I don't charge family." She put her hand on Ranko's. "But… thanks." Ranko smiled a huge smile again, and nodded.

Suddenly Ukyou made up her mind. Akane had been helping out Ranchan, and… she wanted to help too, more than she had. She still had to run her business first—it paid all her bills—but… she _was_ due for a vacation…

"When did you say you were going to Ibaraki?"

* * *

Nodoka sighed as she looked over her charges sitting in the surrounding seats, as their train clattered through Ibaraki Prefecture towards the beach. This trip had gotten a little out of hand compared to what she had planned, but Ranko had been so happy… Still, five teenage girls was a handful, especially since one of them was still figuring out how to be a girl. She had barely managed all the train transfers needed to get here. Thank goodness they were all well behaved—and that there were no boys along. She didn't think she could handle that.

Yuka and Sayuri had never traveled out of Tokyo before, so their faces were glued to the windows, watching the rice paddies and other farms go by. Ranko, Akane, and Ukyou were chatting quietly. Nodoka would have liked to nap, but she had promised to watch over them, and so she stayed alert.

After staring out the window for a short while, Ranko turned to Ukyou and asked, "Ucchan… do… do you have any interests, besides okonomiyaki and martial arts?"

Ukyou found herself caught by surprise. "I don't really have the time, Ranchan. Between my business and my martial arts practice, I'm so busy…" she trailed off with a wistful note in her voice. "Still," she continued, "I… there are things I'd like to do… if I had the time."

Akane was intrigued. "Like what, Ukyou?"

Ukyou looked embarrassed. "Well, I… I like to sing."

Ranko and Akane were surprised. "Really, Ucchan?"

Ukyou nodded. "I… ever since the whole engagement incident happened with Ranchan when we were young, my father has pushed me to focus on martial arts and okonomiyaki. I was supposed to be ready to take my revenge on the Saotomes." She and Ranko both blushed. "I guess I've been doing martial arts so long, I've really come to like it, so I don't mind at all, but… it doesn't leave much time for singing or anything else." She seemed glum, then brightened. "But I'm happy. Maybe some day, I'll get to spend more time on my other interests." Ukyou thought for a moment. "Ranchan, why do you ask? Is it something you think about?"

Ranko related the conversation on the train home from Harajuku, and her thoughts about her own life. "So I don't know, Ucchan. I do like martial arts, but… I really want to do other things, too." Her face fell slightly. "I… I don't even have other interests that I don't have time for; martial arts has been my life, thanks to my father."

Akane and Ukyou each had a steely glint in their eyes, but said nothing.

Akane spoke up. "Ranko, don't worry. You're just starting to reexamine your life. Give it time, and I'm sure you'll understand yourself better." She took Ranko's hand and held it, and the redhead smiled.

The PA system on the train blared to life. "Kashimahama. Kashimahama is next," and suddenly all the girls were scrambling to look out the window. Nodoka smiled as they excitedly commented on the small town where her cousin's cottage was located.

She cleared her throat. "Girls, we need to collect our luggage so we can get off." They nodded and set about collecting everything.

In short order they stood on the platform with their luggage about them, as their train receded into the distance. It was a small station, and didn't even have gates; they simply walked through to the street on the other side.

Nodoka looked around. "I've been here once before, many years ago… the beach and the cottage are within walking distance, about ten minutes. Does everyone feel up to it?" There was a chorus of "Hai!", and they all set off.

It was a very small town, mostly there due to the farms in the surrounding countryside. It was one of the last places with a beach on the Ibaraki coast that had not been totally overrun by resorts for the hordes from Tokyo; there were just a few cottages and inns that had sprung up over the last decade. The town was a strange mix of farm supply stores and a few trendy boutiques. Nodoka noted that several of these stores looked like they sold a different mix of products in the off season. It was a bizarre mix of the dilapidated and the chic. Newer inns were under construction, and Nodoka was sure that in just a few years the place would be totally overrun, like the rest of Ibaraki's beaches.

As they walked down the main street towards the beach, more than one young man's attention was riveted by the sight of five pretty girls from Tokyo following their chaperone, not unlike ducklings behind their mother. Local boys who were jaded by the beach decided that maybe this weekend would be a good time to go swimming again. Or at least visit the beach…

In due time, they arrived at the cottage. It was seconds from the waters of the Pacific; all that lay between it and them was a few dozen meters of sandy beach, on which well-behaved waves crashed periodically. The place had a magnificent view.

Nodoka was speaking as she fumbled in her purse for the keys. "I don't really remember it very well; it's been so long since I was here. My cousin took me here when I was still trying to recover from losing Ranko and my husband." She found the keys and opened the door, and they went inside.

The cottage looked unusually modern and luxurious, but then Nodoka's cousin's family was very well off. As she looked through the cottage, she suddenly remembered: the place had traded privacy for luxury; it only had one bedroom. Her cousin and her husband slept in there, and the children rolled out futons in the large living space. She turned to the five teenagers, who were goggling over the appointments of what they had thought would be a modest shack.

"Girls, I'm afraid there is only one bedroom here; I wish I had remembered earlier. There is one bed. Everyone else will have to sleep on futons out here."

Yuka looked around. "I don't mind, Saotome-san. It'll be like a big pajama party!" Nodoka suddenly felt nervous.

"Ranko, dear, you can sleep with me in the bedroom, if you like."

Ranko looked around at her friends, and she smiled. "No thank you, Mother. I invited my friends so I could be with them, and… I want to sleep out here with them."

Akane, Ukyou, Yuka, and Sayuri all smiled. Nodoka did, too; she was overjoyed to see that her daughter had so many close friends already. "Whatever you wish, dear."

Ukyou piped up. "Let's go for a swim!" There was a chorus of approval. Nodoka nodded, and headed into the bedroom to unpack. Ranko suddenly found herself surrounded by four teenage girls peeling off their clothing.

Akane looked up for a moment, and found Ranko standing there with her hands over her eyes. She suppressed the urge to laugh; apparently, some habits really do die hard. She went over and took Ranko's hands gently, removing them from her face.

"Ranko, remember Hakone? You're a girl, too. There's no need to close your eyes."

Ranko relaxed, and looked around at the other three girls; they all nodded. She smiled. "I… Thanks, guys." She opened her bag and looked through her selection of swimsuits. _Let's see… Mother said I should wear a one piece suit for swimming…_ She pulled a suit out, then turned it around to look at it. _It's not put together the same way as my old one… how do these straps work again?_ She set about undressing.

Ukyou watched Ranko out of the corner of her eye. The redhead was showing absolutely no interest in the undressed girls around her. _So it was just habit…_ Ukyou sighed.

As Yuka was putting on her suit, she looked over and found Ranko struggling to get into hers, and repressed a giggle. Eventually, all five were ready, and Nodoka came out, still clothed; she didn't feel like a swim just now. They filed out the front door and looked out over the Pacific.

Suddenly, by unspoken agreement, they went charging down the beach, screeching and giggling the whole way. They dashed into the water and were buffeted by the waves, shrieking with laughter. Nodoka smiled.

Peeking out of the nearby foliage, one boy turned to another. "Hiro, this is gonna be a _grand_ weekend." The other boy nodded enthusiastically.

Ranko was laughing like mad as she dove into the water, which no longer held any fear for her. Doing things with friends was so much more fun! And she didn't have to worry about running into anyone she knew. How could anyone find her way out here in Ibaraki?

Hibiki Ryouga suddenly sneezed, and narrowly averted falling into a rice paddy. _That was too close,_ he thought. He looked around as he rubbed his nose.

"Where am I now?" he asked plaintively.

* * *

Ranko strolled along the beach. She had decided to take a walk by herself, to get a little quiet time. Not that she minded her friends; she couldn't remember the last time she had been so happy. _It's like a dream_, she thought. _I hope I don't wake up…_

She and her friends had been sunbathing, and she had felt restless after lying around for so long; she wanted to get up and walk a little. The rest had waved lazily as she wandered off. She was wearing the teal bikini she had picked out for sunbathing. It had taken her more than a little courage to put it on earlier; she had never felt more exposed in her life. The swimsuit left little to the imagination: it was like walking around in her underwear, and she had only just gotten used to wearing that! Only the encouragement and praise of her friends had persuaded her to venture outside in it. If she had known she was the cause of at least one nosebleed casualty among the locals, she probably would have run back inside and refused to come out.

She came across a piece of driftwood. Fascinated, she squatted down, and lost herself in examining it. The water had carved the wood into an intricate and beautiful pattern.

She was so absorbed in it that her danger sense almost didn't warn her in time. She tried to leap away, but her squatting position and lack of practice hampered her. She stumbled out of the way as she heard the cry, "Ranma! Prepare to die!"

She regained her balance and turned around to find Ryouga facing her, fury on his face. As she looked at his face and saw the anger and aggression there, the first thought to cross her mind was, _Is that what I look like when I fight?_

Ryouga laughed. "You're disgusting, Ranma. You make a big deal about what a man you are, but look at you! Wearing a bikini, with your hair down! This is a new low, even for you."

Ranko shook her head. "No… Ryouga… please, you don't understand… I'm not…"

Ryouga interrupted her. "Not a man, that's for sure." He snarled. "You're even talking like a girl! Well, enough talk! I'm going to save Akane from you once and for all! You pervert!" Ranko cringed at the epithet, and Ryouga leapt.

She dodged, but barely. She flipped out of the way, and found herself landing hard, jarring sensitive parts of her body. _I'm… I'm too out of shape_, she thought. Ryouga attacked again. Ranko saw an opportunity, and landed a kick. She felt the thud of her foot connecting and saw Ryouga grimace, heard him grunt. She winced; she had never noticed so directly before the pain she was inflicting as she fought. As Ranma, she had been too focused on the fight, like a machine. But now, she was no longer suppressing certain parts of her own self, and those parts cringed every time she struck a blow. She had always been sensitive inside, and now that was front and center. She had been hurt too much to easily hurt others.

Her introspection cost her as Ryouga landed a blow in her side. She rolled away, clutching her side in agony. Why… why did it hurt so much? But she knew: her conditioning was nowhere near what it had been. Her father's voice echoed in her head: "_If you want to be the best, you must focus on the Art to the exclusion of all else."_ She had felt compelled to turn her back on that philosophy, and she was paying the price now.

She staggered to her feet, and barely managed to avoid another leap by Ryouga. He rolled to his feet, and laughed. "You're in pretty bad shape, Ranma. This'll be a piece of cake." He grinned a nasty grin.

Ranko shouted "Ryouga, please listen to me! This is senseless! I don't want to fight you!"

Ryouga opened his eyes wide in mock surprise. "You don't? Too bad. I want to fight you!" and with that he leapt again.

Ranko managed to dodge, but knew she couldn't keep it up for long. Ryouga, as usual, was in top condition, and she was… not.

In the bushes, the two boys who had been ogling Ranko in her bikini watched in fear. "Hey… shouldn't we go help, Hiro?"

The other shook his head. "I… I'd like to, but man, lookit that guy fight. He'd cream us in no time. Hell, the girl could easily lick both of us put together. There ain't nothin' we can do."

Ryouga was enraged. "Fight me, Ranma! You coward! How can you call yourself a man?"

_Well, it __**would**__ be difficult_, thought Ranko, but she knew Ryouga was not going to listen to her. He leapt again, feet flying, and Ranko dodged once more…

… And tripped over the piece of driftwood she had been admiring earlier. She landed flat on her face, and had the wind knocked out of her. She managed to turn over, only to see Ryouga descending towards her, fingers extended for a blow. He had a huge smile on his face.

Ranko closed her eyes and waited. Suddenly, she heard a _thwack_, and a voice. Akane's voice.

"Ryouga! How dare you pick on Ranko! You leave her alone! And I thought you were a gentleman!" Ukyou's voice added, "You have no right to beat up on Ranchan!"

Ranko opened her eyes, and saw Ryouga sitting a couple of meters away, nursing his jaw, Akane and Ukyou both standing over him with their hands on their hips. Sayuri and Yuka were coming over to help her, looking deeply worried. "Oh, Ranko-chan, are you OK?"

Hiro turned to his friend. "Remind me not to try any moves on any'a those girls." The other boy nodded vigorously.

Ryouga stood up, and started to protest. "But Akane-san, Ukyou-san… this is a man-to-man fight between me and…" he trailed off.

"Did… did you say 'Ranko'"?

* * *

Ryouga sat on the sand facing five teenage girls, four of whom were glaring at him and one of whom looked very nervous. He didn't know what was going on, but he was sure Ranma was up to something. He could tell by the way the other girls were all protectively clustered around her; clearly she had trapped all of them in her web of deceit.

"All right, Ranma," he said. "Let's hear what you have to say." _Not that I'll believe a word of it._

Ranko nodded, but her throat was dry. Somehow, telling this to Ryouga was much harder than anyone she had told it to before. Maybe it was because Ryouga was a guy… Dr. Toufuu was a guy, too, but she had known he would be sympathetic. She began, "Ryouga, I… I… I'm… that is, I'm not… I mean…" She trailed off, and her head drooped. This was so hard, no matter how many times she did it.

Akane reached out and took Ranko's hand, and she smiled a tiny smile of gratitude. Ryouga fumed; he hated the way that Ranma took advantage of Akane, and all his other fiancées. He was nothing but a womanizer, playing on their emotions. He waited.

Ranko spoke again. "Ryouga, I… I… I'm a girl."

Ryouga waited impatiently for the rest of it. "Of course you're a girl! Do you think I'm blind?" He rolled his eyes.

"No… I didn't mean it that way…"

Yuka reached over and patted Ranko gently on the shoulder. "Start at the beginning, silly."

Ranko nodded, and gathered her wits again. "Ryouga, a few weeks ago, I met my mother again for the first time since I was four years old. She… she told me something about myself that I didn't know, something really important…"

"You were dropped on your head as a baby?"

If looks could be translated into reality, Ryouga would have been a smoldering pile of black ashes. He swallowed at the glare of four angry girls, the look that said "Not even remotely funny, Mister."

"Ryouga," said Ukyou in an unfriendly tone, "listen to the rest of what she has to say—politely. Am I making myself clear?" Akane added a menacing nod and flexed her mallet hand.

Ryouga nodded nervously. "Uh… OK…" He tried a sheepish grin, but no one was impressed.

Ranko tried again. "Ryouga, she told me what I told you before. I'm… I'm a girl."

Ryouga was getting irritated. "I know you're a girl, Ranma! What are you getting at?"

Ranko shook her head. "No, you don't understand! I don't mean I'm a girl _right now_. I mean, I'm a _girl_."

Ryouga started to feel a chill, despite the sun. It… it must be the sea breeze… "What?"

Akane broke in impatiently. "Let me try, OK? Ryouga, what she is saying is that she is not a boy who turns into a girl with cold water. She is a girl who turns into a boy with hot water. What her mother told her was that she was born a girl. Her name is Ranko, not Ranma."

Ryouga was having trouble getting his mind around this. This must be some plot of Ranma's to keep him away from Akane. This was just another outlandish lie, and Ranma had taken in Akane with it. He tried to ignore the nagging voice in his mind which asked him why Akane would want to be engaged to Ranma if she was convinced he was a girl.

"But… but you're engaged to each other! How can you be engaged if Ranma's a girl?" Ha! Let him wriggle out of that!

Ranko's face fell, and Ukyou put a hand on her shoulder. "Ryouga, I… I'm not engaged to Akane any more. Or Ucchan. Or anyone. When… when my mom found out about it, she ended all the engagements."

Ha! There it was! Ranma's evil plot to… "Wh-what?"

"I said, I'm not engaged to anyone. Mother won't let me marry another woman, and to be perfectly honest I'm… not sure I want to. Akane and Ucchan and I, we're friends. Good friends." She smiled. "I… I think I like it better that way." Akane and Ukyou smiled too.

Ryouga was seriously confused. Apparently, Ranma's latest nefarious scheme to keep him away from Akane involved leaving her available to be someone else's girlfriend. Like his. Two different parts of his brain were at war: the part that didn't trust Ranma, and the part that wanted desperately for this to be true so that Akane could be his.

"Why should I believe this? You've lied to me more times than I can count!"

"Young man," came another voice, "you had better have a good reason before you accuse my daughter of being a liar." Ryouga looked up to see that a middle-aged woman, who looked very much like Ranma's female form, had walked up to the gathering.

"Ranko, dear, who is this young man? Is he bothering you?" The woman glared at Ryouga, then turned to the girls. "I came to find you girls when I didn't see you on the beach. I promised Yuka-chan's mother that I would watch you carefully."

Ranko stood up. "Mother, this is Hibiki Ryouga. Ryouga, this is my mother, Saotome Nodoka."

Ryouga stood up and bowed. He looked the woman over. She looked too much like Ranma to be anyone but his mother. Either Ranma had brainwashed his own mother, or… or… No! This couldn't be true! Ranma was a guy! How could he possibly have been born a girl? The sardonic part of his mind asked, _You turn into a pig and you can ask a question like that?_ He didn't want to believe it. There had to be another explanation! _What_, asked the same part of his mind, _the Trilateral Commission?_ Maybe Area 51 was involved, too. That's it! The real Ranma had been abducted by aliens. Right.

He was shaken out of his mental short-circuiting by a question. "Where do you know my daughter from, Ryouga-kun?"

Hibiki Ryouga had been raised to be polite to his elders. "I… I met her in Junior High, Ma'am. At an all-boys school." Sayuri looked startled, then shrugged.

"And what happened here? Why are you all sitting around like this? Why are you here, Ryouga-kun?"

Ryouga turned a pasty color. "Um, well, Ma'am, I… I ummm, kind of attacked her. I… I usually attack her when I see her." He winced. Maybe he could have put that better. All the girls were glaring at him again.

Nodoka looked at him for a long time. "I will assume this was because you thought she was a boy and you hold some kind of grudge against her. I will overlook this behavior, given the past confusion about Ranko's identity, but I want you to behave properly towards her in the future. I can tell you are a well-brought-up young man, and I expect you to behave accordingly. Just because I let my daughter practice martial arts does not mean I allow her to participate in brawls. _Especially_ with boys." Her tone turned to liquid nitrogen. "Am I understood, young man?"

Ryouga gulped, and nodded. "Y-yes, Ma'am."

Ranko stared at her mother in awe. Maybe… maybe there were advantages to being a girl in a fight…

Nodoka smiled. "Very well. You are welcome to join us for dinner, Ryouga-kun. I'm afraid I can't offer you a place to stay; I can't very well have you sleeping in a room with five girls!" Ryouga's eyes widened; they were all sleeping in the same room? "Come along when you're done talking." Nodoka turned and headed back towards the cottage. Ranko and Ryouga sat back down.

Ryouga sat in stunned silence for several moments. He finally lifted his head, and found Ranma looking back at him sadly. The full meaning of what he had just heard finally started to seep into his consciousness. Ranma… Ranko… was a _girl_? His sometime rival, sometime friend, the person he had fought viciously innumerable times, but whom he had sometimes helped, the person he had tried to… kill on occasion, was a _girl_? A real, live, honest-to-goodness, sugar and spice and everything nice _girl_?

"H-how?" he croaked. "You… you were a boy all the time before Jusenkyou."

Her face fell. "Father wanted a son. He… he took me away from Mother when I was four, and Happousai used magic to make me a boy. The Nyanniichuan let me become a girl again." She swallowed; her throat hurt. "My female form looks just like my baby pictures, Ryouga, red hair and all. _This_ is my true form," she said, pointing at herself.

Her eyes unfocused; they were seeing something that only she could see. "If it hadn't been for Father and Happousai… this is the only form I ever would have had. I… I'd have been just a normal, ordinary girl… not… not… a freak…" At that, Ranko started to sob, and Ukyou moved to hold her, gently. She looked up at the other girls, tears in her own eyes. She… she knew exactly how Ranchan felt…

Ryouga didn't know how to react. How do you react when you find out the sky is orange? That things fall up? That ice is hot? Ranma being a girl and crying seemed like a violation of some natural law. But… this was too elaborate to be one of Ranma's deceptions. He had never carried off anything on this scale before, and his… her mother would certainly know her own child's sex. Something caught his curiosity. "Ranma… Ranko… are you going to be a girl from now on? Just because you were one when you were born?"

She looked up, her eyes red. "N-no. That's not the reason." She took a deep breath. "I… I never liked being a boy, Ryouga, not really. Dr. Toufuu says it's because of who I was… am. I… I'm trying out being a girl over summer break, to see if I like it better. I might stay this way, but I might go back to being a guy, too." Sayuri and Yuka looked at each other and rolled their eyes, but said nothing. Akane was smiling a very Kasumi-like smile.

Ryouga felt the stirrings of an utterly alien emotion: compassion for Ranma. This was certainly a day of surprises. He supposed that he would turn into a flying pig next. "You… you mean you felt bad about being a guy the whole time?"

She nodded, her lips pursed. "Ryouga, are you glad you're a guy?"

Ryouga was startled by the non sequitur. "What? Of… of course. Why wouldn't I be?"

Ranko nodded. "Of course…" She seemed amused at a private joke.

Ryouga continued looking at the redhead wearing a teal bikini who was sitting on the sand in front of him. This girl wasn't a disguise, the cursed form that Ranma took. This girl was a… well… a girl. He had always thought Ranma was beautiful, but the knowledge that she was really a boy made it seem an affront. Suddenly, he was very aware of the fact that Ranma… Ranko… _was_ a beautiful girl, and not a boy pretending to be one. He tried to push that out of his mind; he didn't want to deal with it right now. He wasn't entirely successful.

Ryouga knew he would never again tell this girl how she had made his life hell. His life wasn't even in the same league as hers. Suddenly, his implacable resentment of Ranma for snatching the bread at lunch in junior high seemed very petty. As he continued to stare at her, she blushed and dropped her gaze. He looked away in embarrassment himself. What do you say to a girl whom you've been beating up for the last four years, even if she's as good a martial artist as you? To the girl you went to an all-boys school with? Who… you… (gulp) changed in the locker room with? Ryouga knew his relationship with this girl could never be the same again. He had thought he knew who Ranma was, but it seemed he didn't know this girl at all. Could she really still be Ranma?

There was something he _did_ have to say, though. "Ranko… Ranko-san, I'm… I'm sorry."

She looked up in surprise. "What? Why?"

"For… for attacking you. For all the times I attacked you."

She shook her head. "Don't be silly, Ryouga. You didn't know I was a girl. _I_ didn't know I was a girl. And even if I had known, just because I'm a girl doesn't mean I can't take care of myself. I am a martial artist, after all." Akane had an eerie feeling of deja vu. "I… I mean I did get tired of it happening constantly, but I didn't really mind fighting with you. You were a good opponent; you kept me in shape. It… It's OK, really. Don't worry about it." She made a face. "Besides, Mother won't let you fight me any more, except to practice." She laughed.

Ryouga laughed too.

* * *

They all sat around the dinner table. He almost hadn't made it here. The combined efforts of five girls to lead him back to their cottage—in a straight line along the beach—almost hadn't been enough to combat his unerring ability to get lost, but in the end, they had arrived. He was glad; Ranko's mother seemed to be an excellent cook.

Ryouga wondered at what he saw. Ranko was wearing a sundress and jewelry, and was chatting with her friends in a very animated way. Ryouga couldn't quite believe this happy, vivacious girl was the same person he'd known as Ranma. When not bragging or defending his manhood, Ranma had never had a lot to say. He shook his head.

Even stranger was his rivalry with Ranma for Akane. It was gone, like a soap bubble. Akane was unattached, his to try to woo without worrying about the engagement, or even competition (Kunou didn't count). It was such an unexpected situation, he didn't know what to think.

He gathered from what he had heard that Akane and Ranko had been very close since early childhood, like twin sisters. Realization dawned in Ryouga, that that put Ranko in a new role: Akane's sister, someone who would be looking out for her; someone he, Ryouga, should try to make a good impression with. Ryouga thought about all the efforts that Ranma had made to disrupt his pursuit of Akane; he knew that Ranma had not approved of him. Maybe… maybe it wasn't a new role after all. He wondered how he could overcome the hostility there had been between them and make her see him more favorably. Deep-sixing P-chan was probably a given if he was going to do that.

He turned his attention back to the dinner conversation. He observed Ranko's face as she chatted with the others; it seemed transformed to him. He had seen Ranma in female form countless times, but she had had the same expressions and limited set of emotions as her male form. Now, she was happy, open, cheerful, excited… and vulnerable. Ryouga had seen just how vulnerable a couple of times that day. He hoped that wasn't permanent. The alien emotion of compassion for her surfaced again.

Nodoka spoke up. "You haven't said much yet, Ryouga-kun. Are you willing to discuss the reasons why you had a feud with my daughter?"

Ukyou gave him a look of feigned innocence, batting her eyelashes. Ryouga suddenly started to sweat. "Ummm… I guess so… well… uh… we… we used to fight over bread in the cafeteria in Junior High…"

Nodoka tilted her head. "That hardly seems like reason enough to attack someone constantly the way you mentioned. Are you sure there isn't anything else?"

Ryouga sweated profusely; of course, Nodoka was right. But he couldn't talk about Jusenkyou here, in front of Akane. Or Akane's friends. Not if he wanted to live.

Ranko piped up. "Oh, I used to like to tease him. I bounced off his head sometimes to grab the bread that was being thrown to us."

"Ranko! Dear, that wasn't very nice."

She answered Nodoka, but she was looking at Ryouga. "I… I never meant any harm. It was just a game to me. I… I'm sorry. I thought of Ryouga as a friend." Ryouga's eyes spoke his gratitude to Ranko for the diversion. Her words were making him feel ashamed for some reason.

He reached carelessly for his tea, and managed to knock it over, spilling it in Ranko's lap. He winced, expecting the change. Nothing happened.

Ranko thought Ryouga's eyes were going to pop out of his head. "Ranko-san… What… Why?…"

"I… Cologne locked my curse for me, temporarily. I was getting splashed with hot water just as I had been with cold, and… and I didn't want to deal with that on top of everything else. It will wear off in another week or so, according to what she said. I… I'll decide then whether to go back to school as Ranko or not."

She rose. "Excuse me; I'd better go clean up my dress." With that, she headed for the kitchen.

Ryouga stared at her until she was out of sight. He turned to Ranko's mother. "You're an excellent cook, Ma'am. Dinner is delicious."

Nodoka blushed. "Thank you. You should thank Ranko too, when she returns; she did a lot of the work. She has been helping me cook at home."

Ryouga gaped. "Re-really?" He was amazed. What was next, her having a boyfriend? That thought made his head buzz.

He spoke again. "I… I think I'd like some fresh air. Would you mind if I stepped out for a moment?"

"Not at all, Ryouga-kun."

Ukyou leaned over to Akane and said _sotto voce_, "Well, that's the last we'll see of him for a few weeks." Akane nodded.

Ryouga sat on the beach and watched the waves crashing against the sand. The tide seemed to be coming in, and the water was lapping up the beach. He supposed he should move back a bit, but he loved the ocean.

He was ashamed to admit it, but his life had revolved completely around getting revenge on Ranma and winning Akane. Now that that axis had shifted, and his little personal morality play of Good versus Evil had collapsed, he was forced to examine what he had done with his life the last few years. He didn't like what he found. Four years spent trying to find Ranma, trying to kill Ranma, fighting Ranma because of bread, or for Akane. Why? Ranko had said she considered him a friend. He felt ashamed.

He couldn't understand why he had been so angry at Ranma. He had resented him… her… deeply. Why had he cared so much, enough to follow him to China, where he had been cursed? Over some bread? Something about Ranma had just made him angry, and… and he didn't feel that way any more. It was simply gone, like the morning mist. He couldn't understand that, either. Maybe… maybe he viewed her in a different way now. The aspects of her behavior that had so incensed him didn't seem so wrong any more. He shook his head; he simply didn't understand.

Once again he looked up to enjoy the beautiful sight of the ocean waves crashing. They were quite large now, especially the one that was about to…

"Bweeeee…"

* * *

Ranko had not expected to see Ryouga again after hearing that he had stepped outside, but a few hours later, after everyone had bathed and gotten ready for bed, they heard a tapping at the front door. Nodoka went to open it, and was startled to find a small black piglet standing on the step, looking up at her.

"What is it, Auntie?" asked Akane.

Nodoka looked back down at the piglet, who was looking up at her expectantly. "For some reason, there is a small black piglet on our doorstep, and he appears to want to come in." She looked more closely. "He's soaking wet, too."

Akane came rushing over. "P-chan! What are you doing out here in Ibaraki?" She scooped him up. "Oh sweetie, you're all wet! Auntie, this is my pet pig, P-chan."

Nodoka looked at the pig. "Are you sure, Akane-chan? There are a lot of farms around here."

Akane beamed. "Of course! See, he recognizes me, and he always has this bandanna around his neck." She held P-chan up for Nodoka to see. Ranko and Ukyou came up behind Akane, looked at each other, and rolled their eyes.

Nodoka stared for a moment. Something about that bandanna seemed familiar. Oh well… "Akane-chan, I'm not sure my cousin would appreciate hearing that a pig stayed in her living room."

Akane looked worried. "Auntie, he sleeps with me at home. He's very, very clean…" She looked at Nodoka hopefully.

Nodoka considered. "Well, I know my cousin has a dog, whom they bring with them to this cottage. I… I guess it would be all right." She looked sternly at Akane. "But Akane-chan, you must make sure he doesn't cause any damage or other problems. I would hate to have to explain things to my cousin. And if he leaves any odors their dog will notice and be upset."

Akane nodded. "Of course, Auntie. He's never caused a lick of trouble at home." Ranko sighed. Akane went off to find a towel for P-chan.

They laid out the futons and got ready for bed, with P-chan watching the proceedings from the side of the room. He noted that Ranko wore pajamas like the other girls. _She really __**is**__ a girl_, he thought. He shook his head and sighed.

As the girls got into their futons, he trotted over to Akane's. As she scooped him up, he chanced to look Ranko in the eye, and flinched. She was giving him a cold glare, letting him know exactly what she thought of this habit of his. She _hmphed_, and rolled over on her side, looking away from him. He cringed.

_Funny_, he thought, as Akane cuddled him and they settled in for the night. _That look hurt more than anything she ever did to me before_. He sighed inwardly. _What a stupid situation. How am I ever going to get out of it?_

* * *

In the morning, P-chan was waiting patiently for Akane to finish brushing her teeth, when he heard Ranko's voice. "P-chan." He looked up; she was holding a steaming kettle. She motioned outside with her eyes. He nodded meekly and followed.

Once they were outside, she asked, "Where are your clothes?" He squealed and turned as if to go somewhere, then stopped. He looked around in confusion.

Ranko rolled her eyes. "Never mind. Let's just look around." She casually scooped him up; P-chan cringed, but Ranko was holding him gently. They circled around the cottage, and behind it were Ryouga's pack and clothing.

Without further ado, Ranko poured the hot water on P-chan and watched him transform back into Ryouga. When she realized she was staring at him with his clothes off, she suddenly turned away, her cheeks bright crimson. _I… I guess things are different now_, she thought. She waited while he dressed.

She turned to face him, a stern look in her eye. "Ryouga, Mother says I mustn't fight you, so I'll have to use words instead. I'll be frank. I don't like what you are doing with Akane as P-chan. It's not right, and you know it. I… I know you're in love with her, and to be honest that makes it even worse. How do you think she will react if she ever finds out?"

Ranko knew that Akane would marry eventually, but even so, contemplating that was still upsetting. She hoped that she and Akane would remain close no matter who… A-Akane married. Letting go of the engagement was still hard, but she had no right to tie Akane up or choose her boyfriends for her, and… and she didn't really need to, not any more; their relationship was now something different. Still, the idea of Ryouga as Akane's boyfriend upset her. If Ryouga was going to even try, she was going to make damn sure he cleaned up his act and was worthy of Akane.

Ryouga lowered his eyes and blushed. Ranko seemed to be learning from her mother. "You're right, Ranko-san. I… I know it's wrong. She just loves P-chan so much, I don't want to hurt her…" He noted Ranko's skeptical look. "Honest! I… I do enjoy being held by her, but… but if that were all, I could walk away from it." He sighed in exasperation, and put his hand over his eyes. "Honestly, this is such a mess, and I don't know how to get out of it. I should tell her, but if I do she'll hate me, and… and…" he trailed off.

She cocked her head and looked at him. "Ryouga, Akane is going to marry a man, not a pig. If you want a chance at being that man" she faltered slightly, "you have to start showing her less pig and more man. Do you understand? You are not stupid, and I'm sure you can figure out a way out of this." She put a little edge in her voice. "If you are motivated."

He gulped, and nodded. "O-OK."

She winked at him. "Good. Why don't we go back and have some breakfast?" She turned around and walked back towards the front of the cottage. Ryouga watched her retreating form the whole way.

"How did she do that?" he wondered aloud. He picked up his pack and followed her.

Twenty minutes later, Ranko sighed. _I guess he's not coming for breakfast after all_, she thought. _I really should have led him back. Well, he'll turn up again… eventually._

* * *

The next day—their last at the beach—the girls were out sunning themselves again, Ranko once more wearing her teal bikini. She rolled over on her back and looked up at the sky, and sighed contentedly. This vacation had been wonderful, even with Ryouga's unplanned visit. She had never felt so relaxed, so far away from the craziness that was usually her life.

She turned over on her stomach again, and lost track of time for a while, before she became aware of a young man standing a short distance away, staring at the ground. She sat up, and the other girls did too.

Akane spoke first. "Can we help you?" She sounded a little irritated.

The boy flinched. "Uhhh, uhhh, I… I was wondering if I could speak to the young lady with the red hair." He turned bright red himself.

Nodoka looked up sharply from where she was sitting and reading her book. She had known this was going to come sooner rather than later, and was worried. Ranko had not had the benefit of years of preparation which other girls had. She watched closely.

The girls looked at each other, then all turned to look at Ranko, who was gazing uncertainly at the boy. "What… Why do you want to talk to me?"

The boy stammered on. "Well, Miss, my name is Izaki Hiro, and… and…" he seemed to gather his courage, "I… I couldn't help noticin' that you were about the prettiest girl we've ever seen out here. I… I was wonderin' if… if you would like me to show you around the town?"

Ranko was about to pound him for making a proposition like that to her, when she realized that she was a girl, and he had every right to try. She started to grow pale when she realized that… that she really _was_ going to have to figure out how she f-felt about… about… she couldn't even complete the thought. It had been easier when the subject had come up as an abstract point of discussion, but with a boy standing in front of her…

She swallowed. _If… if Mother won't let me marry another girl, and… and I don't even think I want to, does that mean…?_ She shook her head. She _knew_ she wasn't ready to think about this now, and she didn't intend to. She took a broom to these thoughts, chased them back into her mental cellar, and locked the door. But she knew she couldn't keep them locked up much longer.

She looked up to see Akane, Ukyou, Sayuri, and Yuka awaiting her reply; they looked more anxious than the boy did, if that was possible. She turned to answer, then realized she didn't have the faintest idea of what to say. She racked her brains for all the old movies she had ever seen.

"That… that's very sweet of you, Hiro-kun. But I… I came here to be with my friends, and… and…" she thought furiously, "I already have a boyfriend back in Tokyo!" She heard rather than saw the impacts as several bodies in the vicinity fell over.

The boy looked disappointed, but seemed to relax as well. He smiled, and she found herself smiling back. "I'm sorry to hear that, Miss…?"

"Saotome… Saotome Ranko."

"I'm sorry to hear that, Ranko-san. Your boyfriend is a lucky man." He winked, turned, and walked away. _He… he knew it was a white lie_, she thought. _How did he know?_

She blushed furiously when her friends grinned at her and burst into applause.

That night, they all sat around a campfire on the beach, toasting marshmallows. None of them had ever done it before, but they'd watched enough American movies, and after a few misadventures, they had gotten the hang of it. Fortunately, the grocery store in town had had marshmallows. Apparently they were not the only Japanese who watched American movies.

Ranko was staring into the flames, watching them flicker and the coals glow. She was entranced. She thought back over the last few days, and the feeling of living in a dream persisted. It was as if they had been whisked off to some enchanted world. Ranko simply could not remember another time in her life when she had enjoyed herself so much, when she had been so happy. She sighed contentedly.

Ukyou sat with her chin propped up on one hand, watching Ranko. She was so changed from the Ranma she and the others had known, and in such a short period of time. Even back when she and Ranchan had first met… That little boy had certainly had a cheerful disposition, but lurking behind it had always been a melancholy she couldn't identify. Now, she wasn't sure she could identify the person she was looking at.

This girl… she was so like Ranma in so many ways, and yet so different. She and Akane were close friends; gone were the insults and bickering. She was open and loving to her friends and family. She was relaxed and happy, words that had been hard to apply to Ranma. She had been transformed, and not just physically. In fact, the physical change seemed trivial compared to the rest.

Ukyou smiled a bittersweet smile. Ranma had finally found happiness… but wasn't Ranma any more. Having spent this time with Ranko, Ukyou couldn't possibly ask her to be the boy she had been before. She'd have to settle for a dear girlfriend rather than a fiancé or husband. Still… in one way, it didn't matter: Ranma or Ranko, she was still Ranchan, and would always be Ranchan, and Ukyou would always be Ucchan to her. Ukyou had lost something, but she hadn't lost everything. Maybe the part that remained was the most important.

Yuka interrupted Ukyou's reflections. "Ranko-chan, I… this whole trip has been wonderful. I've really enjoyed it. I hope you have too."

Ranko looked up. "I've really had a wonderful time, too. And I've loved having you guys here. All of you. It's been…" words failed her, but her happy smile spoke volumes.

Sayuri spoke up. "Ranko-chan, I know you're worried about people thinking you aren't a real girl, but I don't think you should be. You're so different from before. You… you really act like a perfectly normal girl. Well, one who doesn't quite know all the things she should." They all laughed. "Really, if… if you decide to come back to school as Ranko, I don't think you have anything to worry about."

Akane seemed to think of something. "Ranko, you… before, you told me you were afraid of changing, of becoming another person. The idea of changing so much scared you." She paused. "And you've changed a lot; Sayuri-chan is right. Yet you don't seem frightened about it. Does changing into another person not frighten you any more?" She looked at Ranko expectantly.

Ranko looked deep in thought. For a minute, she looked into the fire, as the others waited. Finally, she spoke. "I… it hasn't been like I expected. I… I haven't had the feeling that I've been changing into another person." She paused a moment, then continued with wonder and realization in her voice. "I… I feel like I _was_ another person, and… and I'm becoming _me_. Like I was a puzzle put together the wrong way, and now I'm slowly being put together the right way." She stared at the flames, mesmerized.

There was a long silence as everyone considered the meaning of Ranko's words, Ranko herself most of all.

* * *

End Chapter 5

Saturday, September 9, 2000

**Copyright Notice**

The characters and stories of Ranma ½ are Copyright © Rumiko Takahashi, and are used here without permission or license.

No claims to the above copyright are made by the author of this work.

This work is for non-commercial use ONLY, and is produced for the enjoyment of fans only.

This work is the expression of the author and the depiction of the Ranma ½ characters herein are in no way represented to be a part of Ranma ½ as depicted by the original author and copyright holder(s).


	6. Chapter 6: Goodbye and Hello

Genma's Daughter

By ClassicalGal

Original concept and parts of chapter 1 by Nesin Evets

Chapter 6: Goodbye and Hello

* * *

Ranko looked out the window as the train she was on wound its way through the familiar environs of Nerima Ward. They had been travelling for several hours, and were almost home, after many transfers.

She had thought at the campfire last night that the time she had spent at the beach with her friends had been like a visit to another world, and she wasn't sure she wanted to come home. She knew that all the problems in her life—her father, her fellow students, her enemies, and most of all, her dilemma—were waiting for her here. How easy it would be to run away, to go somewhere else where no one had ever heard of Saotome Ranma. To run away from her old self and her troubles.

Just like her father would. She sighed.

The PA announced "Fuurinkan-cho, Fuurinkan-cho is next," and the train started across the bridge she and Akane had sat under. She looked down, but couldn't quite make out the place where they had been. How long ago had that been, when this had all been set in motion? She had only been a girl for two and a half weeks, but already it seemed like a lifetime. And the summer break was just more than half over. She still had a week or so to think about it, though the lock on her curse would expire any day now. Had it really been nearly three weeks, already?

The train pulled into the station, and she and her friends gathered up their luggage. A short while later, they were standing outside the station gates, their luggage piled around them.

They all looked at each other. Sayuri spoke, "Ranko-chan, thank you for inviting me. I… I had a lovely time. The beach was nice… and the friends were wonderful." She looked Ranko in the eye with warmth, conveying her thanks and her affection in a way words couldn't.

Yuka chimed in, "I… me too, Ranko-chan. I… I'm glad you're my friend." Ranko smiled happily, and discovered her eyes were quite moist.

"I'm glad both of you are my friends, too," she replied simply.

Yuka looked at Sayuri, and turned back to Ranko. "We'll call you, OK?"

"I'd like that," said Ranko, who was sniffling a bit.

Sayuri and Yuka waved, said "bai bai!", and started walking home.

Ranko waved too, and called "bai bai!"

Ukyou regarded the redhead in front of her for a long moment, then smiled. "Ranchan, I had a great time. Thanks." She made a face. "I guess I'd better get back and see if the restaurant is still there." Ranko laughed.

"Ja ne," called Ukyou, and walked away.

"Ja ne!" Ranko and Akane called back. They turned and started walking towards Nodoka's home. Ranko looked at the hand she had waved with, bemused. _Did I really just say "bai bai"?_, she wondered. Saotome Ranma would never have said "bai bai". It wasn't manly. She giggled.

"What is it, Ranko?" asked Akane.

"Oh, nothing," she replied. "Just a funny thought."

Akane nodded. "Would you like to do something tomorrow?"

Ranko shook her head. "No, the vacation was nice, but… but I think I want to stay home tomorrow, not run off somewhere else. Maybe the next day."

Nodoka thought a moment. "You know, we promised Kasumi and Nabiki a dinner invitation. Would you like to do that tomorrow?"

Ranko's face lit up. "Mother, that would be just perfect!" She would love to see her older sisters again.

Nodoka had a sly look in her eye. "Would you like to make dinner?"

Ranko was a little shocked. "Me? By myself?" She thought. "I… I don't think I'm ready to do that yet, Mother."

Nodoka smiled. "If you feel that way, then of course I'll help, dear."

Akane piped up. "I'd love to help too, Ranko! We can all do it together!"

Nodoka nodded. "You've been very patient, Akane-chan, and I'd love to have you help."

_Oh great_, thought Ranko. _I was looking forward to a nice quiet day tomorrow, and what do I get? Armageddon._

* * *

Nodoka was sleeping the sleep of exhaustion that night, when a quiet knock came on her door and woke her. She sighed, and propped herself up. "Yes?…"

The door slid open, and Ranko was there. "What is it, sweetheart?"

Ranko closed the door, walked over to the bed, and sat down. "Mother, we… we have a serious problem."

Nodoka sat up more fully, alert. "We do? What is it, dear?"

Ranko looked up as she thought about how best to say this. "Mother, you know how Akane offered to help cook dinner tomorrow night?"

Nodoka nodded. They had called the Tendou sisters on the phone, and they had graciously accepted the invitation. Well, at least Kasumi had been gracious. "Yes, dear, she seemed very enthusiastic. Won't it be fun!"

Ranko blanched. Fun wasn't the word. "Mother, Akane, she… her cooking… it's… it's…" she cast about for words, and gave up; words were inadequate. "really bad."

Nodoka frowned. "That's an unkind thing to say about your dearest friend, Ranko. Besides, it's just a family dinner. It doesn't have to be four-star cuisine. It's more important that everyone have a good time."

Ranko shook her head. "No, Mother, you don't understand. I would like nothing better than for Akane to enjoy herself in the kitchen. But her cooking… it's _really bad_. As in, not edible. Literally." She paused, lost in memories. "In fact, sometimes, it's downright toxic. I… I had to go to the emergency room several times."

Nodoka could see Ranko was serious. "That bad?" Her daughter nodded vigorously. She leaned back against her pillow.

Ranko continued. "The worst part is, she loves to cook. She wants so badly to prepare a good meal, and every time, she produces a disaster, her feelings get hurt, and my stomach gets hurt worse. I… I don't know what to do." She sighed, and fell backwards onto the bed, her arms folded. She regarded the ceiling.

Nodoka pondered the situation. "How could her cooking be that bad?" she wondered. "Her mother was gone, but still, Kasumi should have…"

Ranko put her hands behind her head and continued looking at the ceiling. "Kasumi's tried. Akane… seems to be immune to instruction in cooking."

Nodoka considered that. "Well dear, all I can say is, I'll try my best. Maybe I will succeed where others have failed." Ranko fervently hoped so. "But dear?"

Ranko turned over on her side to face her mother and propped up her head with one hand as she lay on the bed. "Yes, Mother?"

"You must remember that no matter how bad it is, you musn't deride it. I'm sure she is well aware of the reputation her cooking has. She already feels bad, and we don't need to make her feel worse. Be as positive as you can be. She will get the message anyway, but her feelings will be spared somewhat."

Ranko wrinkled her nose. "Even if it's toxic pig swill?"

Nodoka nodded. "Even if it's toxic pig swill."

* * *

Ranko sat dejectedly in the living room of the Saotome home, Nabiki her only companion. Both her mother and Kasumi were in the kitchen with Akane, as a desperate attempt at damage control. Given the small size of Japanese kitchens, there was simply no room for Ranko to be in the kitchen as well.

And so Ranko and Nabiki were waiting for the dinner preparations to be complete, with all the enthusiasm of a condemned man on death row. The atmosphere of doom in the living room was palpable. Occasionally, they would exchange morose glances. Neither was a great conversationalist to begin with.

Finally, Ranko attempted to break the ice, if only to distract them from the impending meal. "So, Oneechan, how… how have you been? How has life been at the Dojo with just you and Kasumi-neechan?"

Their heads both swung around towards the kitchen at the sound of raised voices. They couldn't quite make out what was being said, but it didn't sound pleasant. They turned back to their conversation, looking nervous. This hadn't been the first time by far.

Nabiki was clearly distracted by the goings-on in the kitchen. "Uh, well… fine… I… I guess." She found herself uncharacteristically at a loss for words. "It… It's been quiet."

Ranko nodded slowly, not sure what to say next. Nabiki continued, "Akane told us, on the phone… uh, you know, when she called to invite us to dinner, she told us about your trip to Ibaraki, and the rest of your summer. It… It sounds like it was a lot of fun." She managed a small smile.

Ranko nodded and started to feel more cheerful. "Yes, I had a wonderful time! Having Akane and Ucchan and Sayuri and Yuka along really made it…"

There was a shout of "Akane-chan, no!" from the kitchen, followed by a short silence. Then the heated voices returned. Nabiki and Ranko's attention was once again riveted on the kitchen door.

When things in the kitchen had quieted down, they turned once more towards each other. Ranko swallowed nervously, and continued. "Uh, having them there made it really fun. And Ryouga showed up!" She giggled. "I thought his brain was going to catch fire when he found out about me!"

Nabiki snorted. "Just wait until you try to explain it to Kunou." They both laughed.

The door to the kitchen opened, and the laughter died instantly. Kasumi emerged, and her smile seemed a little forced. "Dinner is… ready, everyone."

Ranko and Nabiki exchanged one last glance of despair, then headed for the table. Kasumi went back into the kitchen, and then reemerged carrying a dish, followed closely by Nodoka and Akane, both carrying dishes and both looking somewhat grim. They returned for another trip to bring the rest out.

Finally, they were all seated, and the meal began. Ranko examined the dishes; they looked moderately normal, though with Akane that did not imply safety. She and the others served themselves, and she lifted her chopsticks to her mouth, took a deep breath, and ate. Akane watched everyone intently, desperate hope written on her face.

Ranko stopped short. This… this was something new and wonderful in Akane's cooking: it was bad. _Just_ bad. The kind of food you'd find in a hospital or a bad restaurant, not the kind of food you'd find at a toxic waste site. For Akane's food to be merely bad was an amazing accomplishment. Apparently, having two experienced cooks watching her every move had prevented the most dangerous mistakes.

Ranko could actually eat this; she'd had worse on the road with her father (well, maybe not…). She could see that Kasumi and Nabiki were similarly amazed. Nabiki seemed to relax suddenly and slump into her seat. A stay of execution. Everyone resumed eating, gratefully.

Ranko spoke up. "Akane… this is… this is… edible!"

Nodoka frowned. Last night she had told Ranko to be positive. Still, maybe that remark qualified, considering the food…

Akane was confused. She wasn't quite sure whether this was an insult or a compliment. She noticed that everyone was eating, if not exactly with gusto. Since they were usually rolling around on the floor in excruciating pain by now, she decided to take it as a compliment. "Th-Thank you, Ranko. I'm glad you like it!"

_Let's not get carried away, hon._ "Umm, you're welcome."

Later that night, as Ranko was in her pajamas and getting ready for bed, and enjoying the fact that she had actually eaten a meal made by Akane without violent aftereffects, there was a knock on her door. She opened it to find her mother.

"Ranko, dear, I would be very grateful if you could massage my shoulders a bit. I… I seem to be a bit tense tonight."

Ranko's eyes widened. "I'll bet."

* * *

A few days later, Ranko and Akane finished their morning workout, and Ranko decided to soak a little bit rather than just wash off. She had been wary when entering the bath for the last day or so, and this morning was no exception. She knew the lock on her curse would wear off any day now.

She slipped into the water, and waited a moment. Nothing happened, and she sighed and sat down, enjoying the warmth of the water. She and Akane had had quite a workout that morning, and her muscles were sore. She was pleased; she knew she would never be as good as she had been when it was her whole life, but it seemed that with a little bit of time every day, she could still be pretty good, able to hold her own against all but the most formidable opponents. Not that she wanted to fight anyone these days, but sometimes she didn't have a choice, as Ryouga had shown.

She was enjoying the water when she felt a strange twinge in her body. She sat bolt upright. She looked at herself, and saw she was changing, but in the most peculiar way. It was happening in slow motion, tentatively, almost as if the curse wasn't quite sure what to do to her. It didn't hurt in the least, but it was most definitely not the normal way her curse operated. As she… he got closer to his male form, the transformation sped up, and the last little bit was quite rapid.

Ranko got out of the bath, and shook his head. That had been awfully strange; he'd never changed like that before. He looked in the mirror, and saw a black-haired boy looking back at him. He was disoriented; his reflection looked so… so wrong. A thought flickered through his mind: _that isn't me…_

He shook his head again. He… he had really gotten used to being Ranko. Being in his boy form was making him really, really uncomfortable, far beyond what he had felt before. He sighed, and put on a robe; he might as well go out and tell Mother and Akane.

Akane had already finished breakfast and was sitting in the living room, while Nodoka worked in the kitchen cleaning up. Ranko's breakfast still sat on the dining table. Akane looked up, and dropped the book she was reading; she felt like she had seen a ghost coming down the stairs. A black-haired ghost. Somehow, she had not expected to see him again.

Ranko reached the bottom of the stairs, and looked sheepishly at Akane. "Well, I… I guess it wore off." Nodoka heard the male voice and came hurrying out. "Oh, dear."

Akane couldn't shake the strange feeling that there was something wrong with the boy in front of her; he looked… wrong, somehow. Well, there was the feminine hair style, but that wasn't it. When Ranko walked over to the breakfast table, Akane understood: he was still walking and acting like a girl; his body language was feminine and he was using female speech. The boy she saw was not Ranma; he was… a cursed girl.

Ranko began to eat his breakfast, neatly and politely. His mother joined him at the table, and Akane came over as well. "Dear, what are you going to do now?"

Ranko stopped eating to speak. "Well, I… I don't know. I think I might try spending the day this way and… and see how I feel." He paused; already, he felt… uncomfortable. _Really_ uncomfortable. He shrugged; he really ought to try being a boy again, just to… to help him sort out how he felt about being a girl. He spoke again. "I think it will help me make up my mind."

Akane shook her head slightly; Ranko was sending out feminine vibes that anyone would be able to pick up. If they ran into any of the people they knew from Fuurinkan, it would be far worse than if Ranko were still female.

Ranko took a few more bites, then cleared his throat. "Ummm, when I changed back, it… it was a little strange. I changed really slowly, not at all the way it normally works. I guess it must have been the lock on the curse fading out."

Akane thought. "Maybe you're right, Ranko. But maybe we should go and speak to Cologne later, or tomorrow." Ranko nodded in agreement.

After breakfast, he headed upstairs to dress. He had one of his old Chinese outfits with him, as he had foreseen something like this might happen. He had just put it on when there was a knock on his door. "Come in," he said, and Akane entered.

She ran her eyes over Ranko as he checked himself out in the mirror, adjusting the silk shirt and pants. "It's not very flattering, is it?" he asked. Akane swallowed nervously, but she made a noncommittal reply. _Doesn't he realize he's still acting like Ranko?…_

He did. Ranko sat down on the bed and sighed. "I'm not him, am I? Wearing Ranma's clothes and being male doesn't make me Ranma." Akane shook her head, sadly.

Ranko's head drooped. "I'm uncomfortable being a boy, and I… I hate the way I look, but I'm still so scared about being a girl for the rest of my life." He looked up at Akane, tears in his eyes. "I've been thinking about how I would marry and have a family if I were a girl… or rather, I've been trying _not_ to think about it. I… it's so alien. When I was a boy, I understood my life, I knew how it was going to go. Now, everything is up in the air, and there are so many unknowns. I… I've really enjoyed being a girl this summer, but… but can I be that way for the rest of my life?"

Akane went over and sat next to Ranko on the bed; she took one of his hands. "Ranko, none of us really know how our life is going to go. We may think we do, but life has a way of being full of surprises. I… I know the idea of… of having a relationship with a man scares you. Do… do you want to have a relationship with a woman, instead? There's nothing wrong with that, though I don't know how Auntie would feel."

Ranko shook his head. "I… that's always made me uncomfortable, too. Maybe I won't be with anyone…" he trailed off, miserable.

Akane took his shoulders and shook him gently; it felt so odd doing that to his massive male frame, rather than her slight female body. "It's still early, Ranko. Don't rush yourself. Who you are attracted to doesn't have to follow from who you are. You have to be who you are comfortable being, and let your other feelings sort out over time. Don't try to rush things."

Ranko nodded and smiled, tears still in his eyes. "You're right, Akane. I… I've been pushing myself too hard. If… if I'm not comfortable with myself, how can I have a relationship with anyone?" Akane nodded.

"So, what are you going to do now, about the curse?"

Ranko thought. "I think I still ought to try being this way today… just to make sure…"

Akane took his hand again. "I'll be right here with you." Ranko smiled. "Before we go out, though, let me put your hair back in a pigtail and pin back your bangs, OK?"

Ranko paled. "Oops. I forgot about that…"

* * *

Nodoka sat in the living room, trying to read her book and failing. Her daughter had wanted to go out in her male form, and Akane had gone with her. Nodoka knew that Ranko was not used to being a boy, and she also knew that people tolerated masculine girls much more than they tolerated feminine boys. She was worried about her daughter.

She had managed to read half a page, when the door opened suddenly. She looked at her watch; it was not even lunchtime yet. Akane had her arm around Ranko and was leading him in. Nodoka gasped; Ranko's eyes were red. Akane looked grim.

She led him over to the sofa and sat him down, putting an arm around him. Nodoka struggled to find her voice. "What… what happened?"

Akane spoke. "We… we were out on our way to visit Cologne at the Nekohanten, when the worst possible thing happened. We ran into some boys from Fuurinkan… some of the boys who played the rotten trick on Ranko in the locker room. They've never liked Ranma, and they could tell immediately that he was acting differently." She paused and took a breath. "They started calling him all sorts of horrible names, and Ranko, she… he just stood there and took it; he refused to be goaded into fighting them. I was so proud of her. But it hurt, and she… he started to cry, just a little. That only encouraged them, and they said some… some really awful things." She shuddered. "Things I'd never even heard before." Her expression turned steely. "I'm glad I was there. _I_ don't mind fighting jerks. Not one bit."

Ranko had his head in his hands, and was staring at the floor. "I… I can't go back, can I?"

Akane felt like crying herself. She had had a hunch this was going to happen. No, more than a hunch. And not just her: she, Ukyou, Yuka, and Sayuri had all expressed the same feelings to each other, out of Ranko's hearing. Ranko, however, was just coming to terms with it.

Nodoka asked, "What do you mean, dear?"

Ranko sat up. "I… I thought I could try being a girl for a while, and then go back to being a boy. I thought I could switch back and forth." His voice dropped to a hoarse whisper. "But I can't. I've changed too much, and… and I can't change back. Now that I've been a girl for a while, I… I just can't stand being a boy any more. I don't know why, but I just can't." Tears started to gather in his eyes again. "Even though I can still change physically, I… I really don't have a choice any more. I have to be a girl."

Akane hugged him. "None of us do, Ranko, not really. We never get to choose whether we are a boy or a girl. And being able to change physically, like you, doesn't change who you are inside. You… you were always a girl, inside, and once that girl escaped into the real world, she couldn't go back to being locked up." Akane smiled. "She knows what it's like to live, now. How can she settle for what she had before?" Ranko nodded, deep in thought.

Suddenly, he got up. "I'm going to the bath. To… change." He swallowed. "For good. Today I'm going to get more of that water from Cologne. Maybe she has some that will last longer."

He still seemed overwhelmed, and Akane rose as well. "Ranko, would… would you like me to come with you?" He nodded, grateful.

Once they were upstairs in the bath, Ranko proceeded to strip off his male clothing. Akane would normally have pounded any boy who disrobed in front of her, but… this wasn't a boy, despite appearances. She kept her eyes above the waist for her own comfort. It was funny, for so long she had thought of Ranma's female form as a disguise for his true male self. Now, as she looked at that male body, it looked… wrong, hiding the form of her dearest friend, her sister. She shuddered.

Ranko walked over to the mirror, Akane's eyes following him. He looked at the boy he saw there, and saw the girl inside looking out from his eyes. Akane came up behind him, and for a few moments, they both looked at the black-haired boy in the mirror. Ranko turned, walked over, and unceremoniously dumped a wash basin of cold water over his head. Instantly, he felt the tingling, and in the blink of an eye she was her female self again. Unexpectedly, relief washed over her, and she sagged against the wall. She hadn't realized how hard being male again would be. Already, she felt better.

Curiously, Akane found she had tears in her eyes; something about what had just happened seemed… profound in a way. She wiped her tears away. "Your… your curse seemed to be normal to me. I guess it was a one time thing."

Ranko nodded. "I guess so."

Akane thought for a moment. "Maybe… maybe we should make sure. Do you think you could stand to do it one more time?"

Ranko nodded, "I just spent the morning that way. I guess I can stand it for five minutes."

Akane went over, and filled another basin with hot water from the tub. She walked over to Ranko and handed it to her, and Ranko dumped it over her head.

Nothing happened.

They stared at each other. Ranko whispered, "I… I don't understand. Am I locked permanently now?" She had decided to stay a girl, but… this was unsettling.

Akane was about to reply when she noticed Ranko slowly starting to change. She gradually grew taller, and the shape of her body changed ever so slowly. Her hair changed slowly from red to black. Several times, the transformation paused and seemed to waver or reverse, then resume. Finally, after a minute or two, it sped up, and finished rapidly.

They looked at each other in shock. "That… that's what happened this morning," whispered Ranko, his eyes wide. "What's wrong with me?"

Akane picked up the discarded male clothes on the floor. "Ranko, if you can stand it, I think 'Ranma' has to put in one more appearance—at the Nekohanten."

* * *

Cologne looked up from the counter as the door signal rang, and nearly dropped the change in her hand. Making their way through the early lunch crowd were Akane and… Ranma. Not Ranko, Ranma. She looked over at Shampoo, who was frozen and staring at the pair as they walked through the crowd. Cologne looked back, and her eyes narrowed as she watched the way he walked, the way he held himself. No… this wasn't Ranma, after all. But why was Ranko coming in male form, in her old clothes?

They walked up to the counter, and Cologne could see the fear in their eyes. Ranko leaned towards Cologne and whispered, "Cologne… my curse… it… it's acting really strange." He bit his lip nervously and looked down. "It's like it's going haywire or something, and I have no idea what's going on." He looked up at her again. "To be honest… I'm scared."

Cologne, in her mind's eye, could now easily see through the surface appearance to the distressed girl inside. "Come with me," she said. She turned to Mousse; "Mousse, take over. Ran… Ranko needs my help."

Akane and Ranko followed Cologne as she hopped into the back. Shampoo followed and closed the door behind her. She was still staring at the male Ranko.

Akane looked at the closed door. "Is Mousse going to be OK running the whole place by himself?" she wondered aloud.

Cologne turned to order Shampoo back out, but stopped when she saw the pleading in the girl's eyes. Clearly, she wanted to see what was happening. Cologne sighed. "He will manage for a few minutes. Then Shampoo will have to go back out and help." The girl in question nodded.

Cologne turned to Ranko. "What is the problem, child?"

Ranko thought. "I'd… I'd better demonstrate. I need hot and cold water." Akane walked over to a sink, and brought the requested items back. She handed the cold water to Ranko, who dumped it over his head. Instantly, as always, she assumed her female form.

Cologne peered at her. "What's the problem, then? That looked normal to me. The Chiisuiton water has merely worn off, is all."

Ranko shook her head. "Watch." She poured the hot water over her head. Nothing happened.

Cologne stared in shock. She had never, ever seen this kind of thing before. If the Chiisuiton had locked Ranko, she wouldn't have walked in as a boy; she shouldn't be able to change back at all.

Her eyes widened further as she saw Ranko slowly, slowly start to change. Shampoo gasped and clapped her hands over her mouth. Cologne watched in morbid fascination as the change progressed, hesitated, reversed, then progressed again, finally accelerating until it was complete, and Ranko was male again. She swallowed, and found her voice. "Did… did that hurt, child?"

Ranko shook his head. "No, not at all. But the tingling I usually feel feels… I don't know, different. Weaker, like it's fading." He turned to Akane. "Could you get me some more cold water, please?" Akane nodded, and moments later Ranko was a girl again. She looked at Cologne, questioning. "Do… do you know what's wrong with me?"

Cologne hopped down off her stick and sat. "Let me think for a few moments. I've never seen this before. I've never seen a normal Jusenkyou curse act this way, even with the Chiisuiton involved." She thought furiously. "I wonder… maybe that's it…" She hopped over to the shelves where she kept her books, selected one, and started browsing through it. The three teenage girls watched her, wondering what she could possibly have thought of.

Cologne nodded, and closed the book. She hopped back over to where the others were standing. "I think I understand what's happening. Let's go sit in the office. This may take a while."

A minute or two later, they were seated in the restaurant office, crowded around a small table. Cologne winced as she heard the sound of crockery breaking out in the restaurant, but she couldn't leave Shampoo hanging. She had better make this fast before Mousse got into more trouble.

"Ranko, I think the key is what I said earlier. A normal Jusenkyou curse doesn't act like this. But your curse isn't normal."

Everyone looked confused. "What Great-Grandmother mean?" asked Shampoo.

"Think, children. What happens when a normal girl falls in the Nyanniichuan?"

Akane spoke first. "Nothing, right? That curse can't affect someone who's already a girl."

Cologne nodded. "That's right. The curse needs a difference of some kind to latch onto, a distinction from the cursed form. It's like food on a non-stick fry pan: it can't stick, and falls off. If a girl falls in the Nyanniichuan, the curse can't 'stick'. All the curses behave in the same way."

She turned to Ranko. "You're a normal girl, Ranko. You only have a boy form because of the spell Happousai cast on you. Normally, the Nyanniichuan wouldn't affect you, but it was able to act on you due to your previous enchantment. However, I believe from my reference books that that is a less stable situation than a normal curse. The Jusenkyou curse acted on the spell, which in turn acted on you. The Jusenkyou curse effectively neutralized Happousai's spell when you were in your female form. When you used hot water, Happousai's spell could take effect again."

Ranko nodded. "So _I_ was never really cursed directly; the curse was on Happousai's spell."

Cologne smiled. "Very good, child! Yes, exactly." She thought for a moment. "When I used the Chiisuiton water on you, I introduced yet another kind of magic. I can't be sure, but based on my observation of your abnormal change just now, I believe that locking you in female form altered the relationship between the Jusenkyou curse and Happousai's spell. Shampoo, fetch the spell jewel, please."

Shampoo nodded and left, returning moments later with a small jewel. It was glowing brightly. She handed it to Cologne, and it promptly went out.

Cologne held the jewel up. "This jewel glows in the presence of magic. If a person is cursed or enchanted, it will glow when held against them." She held it close to Shampoo, and it glowed brightly again. Ranko and Akane nodded.

Cologne moved her hand and held the jewel against Ranko. It glowed much more dimly, and flickered occasionally.

Cologne had expected this, but it still shook her. She had never seen anyone before who was affected by three different, mutually conflicting shape-shifting spells; this was uncharted territory. She looked up at Ranko. "As I suspected. The Jusenkyou curse and the Chiisuiton water acted together to destabilize Happousai's spell. It's slowly decaying. As it does, the Jusenkyou curse is losing its hold on you too, because it has nothing to act on."

Cologne took a deep breath; she was responsible for this, by using the Chiisuiton water. "Ranko, child, how do you feel about being a girl?"

Ranko and Akane looked at each other. Ranko said, "I… I've decided to stay this way." She cast her eyes down. "I really don't have a choice. I just can't stand being a boy any more." Shampoo nodded, sadly.

Cologne blew her breath out in relief. "I'm very glad to hear that, my dear. Because I believe that within the week, you won't be able to become a boy any more. Happousai's spell is falling apart, and once it does, your Jusenkyou curse will dissolve. You will be a girl for the rest of your life, unless you return to Jusenkyou and jump in the Nanniichuan."

Ranko picked up the jewel again, from where it lay on the table. It flickered dimly. From that day, she would always remember the shock and surprise she experienced when feelings of elation and relief washed over her.

* * *

Nodoka once again sat and worried at her living room window. She was happy, for her daughter had decided to stay a girl, but now her curse was acting up. What if she turned into a boy, and couldn't change back? She hoped the Amazon matriarch knew what was going on.

She nearly did a double take when she saw her daughter and Akane walking up the street, holding hands and swinging them back and forth, and laughing much like they had that day many weeks ago. Ranko looked ridiculous in the overly-large boy's clothes, but there was no mistaking the happy smile on her face. She waited anxiously as they came in the front door.

"Tadaima!" they both called out cheerily.

"O-kaeri, dear. What happened?"

Ranko smiled, and reached into her pocket. She held out a jewel, which Nodoka noticed was flickering in an intermittent way. Her curiosity was piqued. "What is that, dear?"

Akane spoke up. "It's a special jewel which Cologne loaned to us. It glows brightly in the presence of magic."

Nodoka was confused. "It's not glowing very brightly now. Is that related to what's happening to you?"

Ranko nodded. "Cologne says that locking my curse three weeks ago caused Happousai's original spell to become unstable. It's fading, and the Jusenkyou curse is fading with it." She smiled a shaky smile. "It's a good thing I decided to stay a girl permanently, because Cologne says within a week I won't have a choice."

Nodoka's heart leapt. "You mean… you won't be cursed at all? You'll be just a normal girl again?" Ranko and Akane nodded. "Oh, how wonderful, sweetheart! I'm so happy for you!" She embraced her daughter and held her tightly. "Oh, my poor baby, thank goodness this nightmare is almost over for you." She finally released Ranko, and stepped back.

Ranko was beaming, but then she sobered. "I just hope Cologne is right…"

* * *

A few days later, Cologne looked up from the counter at the Nekohanten. Once again, Ranko and Akane had walked in the door; this time, Ranko was in a white knee-length skirt and floral top, rather than the boy's clothes she had worn last time, and her hair was unbound once more. The two girls walked up to the counter where Cologne stood.

Ranko spoke. "Cologne, I came to return something." She reached into her purse and drew out the spell jewel, holding it out in her hand. It was dark.

Cologne nodded, and took it from Ranko's hand. "I see. When was the last time you changed, child?"

"Last night, in the bath. It took ten minutes, and a couple of times I went almost all the way back to being a girl before I started changing again. I could only see the glow of the jewel if I turned out the lights in my room. This morning, when I took a bath after our workout, nothing happened, and the jewel was dark. I even shut myself in the closet to make sure it wasn't glowing…" She trailed off, a sober look on her face.

Cologne scrutinized her carefully. "And how do you feel about this?"

Ranko pursed her lips. "I… I don't want to be that black-haired boy ever again, but… but it's strange. It's strange that my boy side is gone; that's the face I saw in the mirror for twelve years. It's strange that I'm just an ordinary girl, when… when I didn't even know I was a girl at all. And… it's scary. There's no turning back now. But…" She paused, and a smile crept onto her face.

Cologne smiled. "But you're happy?"

Ranko nodded. "I… I wasn't sure until recently, but yes, I'm happy." She giggled nervously. "Scared, but happy. I still don't know what the rest of my life is going to be like as a girl, but… but I know that's what I need to be. I need to be me." Akane smiled and gave her a quick hug, and Ranko smiled back.

Cologne nodded. "Very well, child. I must inform you that you are free from both the Kiss of Marriage and the Kiss of Death from Shampoo."

Ranko was shocked. "Re-really? I don't understand… why?"

Cologne shook her head. "That is not something I can discuss with outsiders." She smiled. "I hope we can count you as friends of our tribe, Saotome Ranko, Tendou Akane."

Ranko smiled and bowed formally. "It is an honor to be a friend of your tribe, Elder Cologne of Joketsuzoku." Akane bowed as well.

Ranko seemed struck by a thought. "Does this mean you are returning to China?" Ranko surprised herself; now that they were no longer pursuing her, she would… miss the three Amazons, if they left.

"Eventually, but I am in no hurry. I think it might be wise to stay here in Japan, so that Shampoo may better her education. I am thinking of sending her to high school, and from there on to college. She will be better able to serve our village as a leader that way. The 21st century is upon us, the world is shrinking, and we will no longer be able to hide from the outside. We must embrace it instead."

Ranko beamed. "I'm glad to hear that." She smiled sheepishly. "I have to admit I would miss all of you."

Akane was startled, but had to agree. With the tension and rivalry gone, she could… appreciate them, somewhat. They were good people to have on your side.

She turned to Ranko and tugged on her arm. "We should be going, Ranko. We need to get you ready for school."

Cologne noticed that Ranko took on a paler color at that. She waved her hand at them. "Well, off you go, then. I'm sure we'll see you again."

Ranko nodded, and they moved to the door, where she stopped. "Goodbye… Great-Grandmother." She smiled timorously, and they left.

Cologne smiled after them. She had longed to hear those words, though admittedly under different circumstances. Fate moves in mysterious ways. She shook her head.

* * *

Nodoka held up her daughter's school uniform, and sighed. "Ranko, dear, I have to be honest. This looks like you've been dragged through the mud in it. Several times." She shook her head.

Ranko and Akane sat on Ranko's bed, watching as Ranko's mother sorted through her school things. "Actually, Mother… ummm, that's probably happened, once or twice." She winced.

Nodoka raised an eyebrow, then shrugged. "In any case, dear, you need a new uniform. There is no way I am letting my daughter go to school in this old rag."

Ranko nodded. "Y-yes, Mother."

"You'll need a winter uniform, too; you only had the summer one. And I want you to take proper care of your new uniforms. No fighting in it, try to keep it as clean as possible, and take it off and hang it up neatly after school. All right, dear?"

Ranko nodded. "I… I hope I don't have to fight in it."

Nodoka sighed in resignation, and turned her attention to the other things. "Well, your gym clothes appear to be in decent shape." She looked at the gym shoes. "Ranko, these are boy's shoes, aren't they?"

Ranko squirmed a bit. "Well, at the time… I didn't want to wear any more girl's clothes than I had to… I got a small-sized pair of boy's shoes, second hand." She grinned ruefully. "They're still too big."

"You'll need to get some girl's shoes for gym. These won't support your feet properly. Now that I think of it, you don't have proper shoes to wear with your uniform. We'll have to get some of those, too."

Twenty minutes later, Nodoka had finished her shopping list, which she looked over one more time. "All right, I think I have everything you need. We can go shopping for this over the weekend; we have something more important to do today."

Ranko and Akane looked inquisitive. "What's that, Auntie?"

"We need to re-register Ranko. She needs to be registered in her proper name and gender. I suspect working with the office is going to take some time; we should head over there right after lunch."

Ranko swallowed nervously. This was the first step in revealing herself at school. No matter how much happier she was now that she was a girl again, she dreaded having to explain all this to her schoolmates, and deal with their reactions. She thought about Hirota and his friends, and shuddered. They'd have a field day.

A few hours later, Akane, Ranko, and her mother were walking through the gates of Fuurinkan High School. Ranko looked around; the place was deserted, except for the athletic fields. There, some of the male students were engaged in a soccer game. Fortunately, they were too far away to spot Ranko and her companions.

They walked through the empty halls, and reached the office. There was a sense of order about the place that telegraphed clearly that Principal Kunou was still absent. If he had been there, chaos would have been the theme, possibly accompanied by coconuts. The Vice Principal was a sensible man, and it was a wonder the Principal had not driven him into madness as well.

They looked around. The staff were busy, getting ready for the next term. Files were strewn everywhere, and two notebook computers were in constant use. They walked around a filing cabinet and over to the secretary's desk.

Nodoka spoke. "Excuse me, young lady. I would like to correct some problems with my daughter's registration here. Have we come to the right place?"

The secretary was new this term. She looked at the three of them and smiled. "Of course. Kimura-sensei is our registrar. She will take care of it." She motioned in the direction of another woman, whose desk was piled high with papers. "What is your daughter's name?"

"Saotome Ranko."

Suddenly, there was complete and utter silence in the office. The clicking of the keys on the computers, the whirring of the copy machines, the rustle of papers, all ceased instantly. Ten pairs of eyes were looking at the trio standing by the secretary.

Kimura-sensei got up and walked over to them. She looked at the petite redhead who was accompanying Akane and an older woman. The girl was wearing a white knee-length skirt and a floral t-shirt. She had neatly styled hair, and was wearing clip-on earrings, a charm necklace, and a hint of lipstick. "Ran… Ranma?" she whispered.

Ranko turned bright red and looked at the floor. "Kimura-sensei… ummm, my name… isn't Ranma. It's Ranko…"

Kimura-sensei rolled her eyes heavenward. The term hadn't even started yet, the students weren't even back, Principal Kunou wasn't even here, and the lunacy was starting again. Why hadn't she taken that transfer when she had had the chance?

"Saotome-kun, I don't know if this is your curse or something else, but you can't just decide to register at school as a girl."

Nodoka drew herself up. "Sensei, I am Saotome Nodoka, Ranko's mother. I can assure you that she is a girl; she is my only child, after all. She only registered here as a boy due to the poor judgment of my husband." She glared. "I am here to correct the situation. My daughter is _not_ going to attend school registered as a boy. She needs to attend the proper gym class, among other things." Akane and Ranko watched the opening salvos nervously.

Kimura-sensei's eyes darted back and forth between Ranko and her mother. "I… I don't understand how this is possible. Registrations are supposed to be cross-checked with birth records. If he… she was female, there should have been no way to miss it." She frowned. "Come with me."

They followed Kimura-sensei into a back office, with all eyes following them. Inside, there were even more filing cabinets. She opened a drawer, and leafed through the hanging folders there.

"Here it is." She took it over to a table and spread it out; it was Ranma's folder. She flipped through the documents inside, then did a double take. "Where are the birth records? They're missing!" She looked through the folder some more. "We make an unofficial copy of the birth records when a student registers; I can't find them anywhere." She paused, perplexed, then held up some hairs. "What are these doing in here?"

Ranko took a closer look, and sighed. "Panda fur." She knew it well enough; it got into everything. Why couldn't her father stay human when it was shedding season?

"It would appear that my husband has tampered with your files, Kimura-sensei."

Kimura-sensei was perplexed. She couldn't believe that a fact of this magnitude had been concealed in the records. "Saotome-san, do you have any documentary evidence that… Ranko is a girl?" She looked at the girl in question.

Nodoka withdrew some papers from a folder she was carrying, and handed them to Kimura-sensei, who looked them over. "Birth certificate, childhood innoculations… they all say female," she said in wonder. She looked up. "Saotome-san, I'd like to check the central Education Ministry records, using our computer. Would you come this way?"

Once again there was a procession back into the outer office. Kimura-sensei went over to the computers. Everyone was still staring at Ranko, and the man using one of the computers wordlessly got up to let Kimura-sensei sit down. She logged into the Education Ministry database, and searched for Saotome Ranma.

There were records, but only information on the schools he had attended, the grades he had gotten. There was a note in the file that the birth records could not be found.

She searched again, this time for Saotome Ranko. The screen came up with the birth records, innoculations, and a registration. Saotome Ranko had been registered for preschool… but had disappeared partway through her first year. There was a note: "_Child reported missing, presumed parental abduction."_

Kimura-sensei sat back in her chair. There it all was, in black and white. She turned back and looked at Ranko, who was blushing furiously from all the attention, and fidgeting. "My goodness. You really are… a girl."

Ranko nodded. "Hai, Sensei."

"How long were you a boy, Saotome-kun?"

"Twelve years, Sensei."

She shook her head. "And you're becoming a girl again? Just like that?"

Ranko winced slightly, and shook her head. "No, Sensei. I… I didn't like being a boy, not ever. I only did it because my father taught me to, and it was all I knew. And… I only had a boy's body. Now, I _want_ to be a girl again." She continued to fidget nervously. "Besides, I don't really have a choice any more."

Kimura-sensei raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"The magic that was used to turn me into a boy, and my Jusenkyou curse, are both gone. I'm just an ordinary, uncursed girl again. I _can't_ turn into a boy any more, even if I wanted to. And I don't want to." She pursed her lips primly.

Akane looked around the room; a couple of the female teachers were crying silently.

Kimura-sensei felt overwhelmed and near tears herself. This girl had obviously been horribly abused by her own father. No wonder his… her behavior had always been a little odd. She tried to gather her wits.

"Very well, Saotome-kun. I will correct all your records. You are aware that being registered as a girl means that you must wear a girl's uniform, and take the curriculum for girls?"

Ranko nodded, and Nodoka spoke. "Of course, Sensei. That is why we are here."

Kimura-sensei nodded. "The teaching staff will be informed; half of them are here in this room right now, anyway. There is still the matter of informing your classmates. I think it would be best if you did so yourself. I will arrange for you to speak to your homeroom class before the day's instruction starts on Monday. I will be present, and your mother may be present if you wish." She softened her businesslike tone. "Ranko-chan, I know this will be hard on you. We'll try to help."

Ranko responded quickly. "I'd like my mother to be there. Thank you, Sensei." She smiled tentatively.

Kimura-sensei smiled back, then looked serious. "One more thing, Saotome-kun. I see from your preschool records that your mother's home does not lie in our district. If you move back in with her, you can't attend Fuurinkan." She sighed. "I will see if I can find a way around this, but I can't promise anything; the Ministry is extremely strict about this kind of thing. While I am researching this, you should continue to live at the Tendou home, as you've been doing."

Nodoka's heart skipped a beat. She had been hoping Ranko would stay with her, but it was more important that she not switch schools in the middle of her junior year. She would have to move back in with the Tendous.

Ranko's eyes shimmered, but she nodded. "All… all right, Kimura-sensei." Akane looked back and forth between mother and daughter, and sighed sadly.

Nodoka shook herself out of her disappointment. "Kimura-sensei, thank you so much for your kind help. I am grateful." She bowed, and Kimura-sensei bowed back.

"Come along, girls. We still have some shopping to do." The two girls bowed to the teachers, then followed Nodoka out.

The teachers in the office turned their attention back to their work; there was still a lot to do to prepare for Monday. Several shook their heads. Ranma had always been a source of chaos and unpredictability at Fuurinkan, second only to the Principal himself. His life had seemed to be one weird episode after another. There was no doubt that this topped them all: Ranma had turned himself into another person.

* * *

Ranko presented herself for her mother's inspection. Akane looked on, wearing her own uniform. They both had their briefcases ready for school. Nodoka looked her daughter up and down, checked her hair, uniform, and shoes, and nodded. "Very good, dear. You look nice. Are you ready?"

"No," replied Ranko miserably.

Nodoka smiled. "Akane and I will be there, sweetheart. Everyone has been very nice to you so far. Don't expect the worst."

Ranko sighed. "You don't know some of the students at Fuurinkan." Akane nodded.

Nodoka shook her head. "Have faith in yourself, darling." She gave Ranko a hug, which was gratefully accepted. "Come along now, they said to be early."

They set off from Nodoka's house; the weekend had been too busy for them to move back to the Tendous. Between Ranko's new wardrobe, and Akane's luggage, there was simply too much to carry. A delivery van was coming by today to pick up their possessions, which were packed up and ready to be taken to the Tendous. They would proceed directly there from school.

Akane had been sad; she had greatly enjoyed her time with Auntie, which had helped her to develop her own sense of independence. She felt a bit more like an adult after this summer. She was pleased with what she had done to the Saotome's spare room: it was now warm and inviting, and she regretted having to leave it. Well, she would be back to visit frequently, she was sure. And in a way, it was her room now, too, as much as the one back home.

Ranko's eyes darted nervously to and fro as they walked, but the early hour insured that they didn't run into any other Fuurinkan students. They walked through the gate, and Kunou wasn't there yet. That, at least, was a relief.

Kimura-sensei met them, as promised. "Good morning, Saotome-kun. My, you look nice today! Are you all ready for school?"

Ranko smiled nervously. "I… I sure hope so, Sensei…"

Kimura-sensei smiled. "You always seem to manage to persevere, Saotome-kun. I'm sure you'll be fine." She turned, and they followed her up to Ranko's home room, where Suzuki-sensei, their homeroom teacher, greeted her as well. He favored her with a kind smile, and she replied with an uncertain one.

Ranko, her mother, and Kimura-sensei stood at the front of the classroom, and Akane went to her desk. A few minutes later, students started coming in. Ukyou, Sayuri, and Yuka all knew what was happening, but the rest had no idea. Sayuri had some kind of bulky package with her, but Ranko wasn't paying attention.

As the students filed in, they looked at the red-headed girl standing at the front of the classroom, with one of the more senior teachers and a middle-aged woman. Was… was that _Ranma_? Was he trying to pass himself off as a girl again? What was going on? A hubbub arose as the students talked among themselves.

Ranko looked around the classroom, and felt a hard, cold lump of fear in the pit of her stomach. Everyone was staring at her. Some looked surprised, some looked confused, and some… She winced. Hirota and his pals were snickering amongst themselves. Her friends looked back at her with sympathy and affection, and her faltering spirits were bolstered a bit. Sayuri and Yuka were at the back of the room, for some reason, rather than at their desks.

She endured this for a few minutes more, mentally rehearsing the words she had worked on so hard with Dr. Toufuu this weekend, until Suzuki-sensei signaled the beginning of class.

Kimura-sensei addressed the class. "Good morning, students."

They responded politely, "Good morning, Sensei." She nodded.

"I am here this morning with one of our students and her mother, in order to inform you of some important news. This student has been attending school under another name due to circumstances in her personal life which have not been under her control. This situation has been corrected.

"I will hold the rest of my remarks until after she speaks, but I want to emphasize that the school has verified the basic information through her records. I will discuss this in more detail later." She turned to Ranko. "Saotome-kun?" There were gasps from some of the students; they had been unable to believe this girl was Ranma, despite knowing about his curse.

Ranko faced her class, and blanched. She felt as if thirty pairs of eyeballs were searing her, probing every inch of her body and her soul. Had she known about the crowd in the hallway, drawn here through the grapevine, she probably would have turned and run. She swallowed, and tried to speak, but nothing came out. She started trembling, and looked down.

Her mother came over, and put her hands on Ranko's shoulders. She whispered, "Don't worry, sweetheart. I'm right here."

Sayuri turned to Yuka, and whispered "Let's do it now. She needs it."

Ranko looked up, and tried to find her voice, when she saw a motion at the back of the classroom. Yuka and Sayuri stood on two chairs, and unfurled a homemade banner, which said "Ranko-chan, ganbatte kudasai!" They looked back at her with affection, and she felt her spirits lift. A smile came to her face.

Suzuki-sensei moved to discipline the two for being out of their seats, but Kimura-sensei held his arm, and shook her head.

"E-everyone… I… this is really hard for me, so please be patient if it takes me a while.

"Before the summer break, I was a member of this class. I was attending under the name Saotome Ranma, and I was attending as a boy." She looked around the class, and flinched; some of the students already were looking at her in a contemptuous way. Her eyes sought out Akane's, as they had planned, and she saw encouragement and affection there.

"I was attending as a boy because I thought I was a boy. I thought I was a boy who had recently been cursed to turn into a girl when splashed with cold water. But I met my mother again recently, for the first time since I was little. It was just before summer break, and I found out something from her: I… I'm not a boy. When I was born, I was a girl. My name is not Saotome Ranma, it's Saotome Ranko. My mother showed me my baby pictures, my birth records, even some home video. When I was a small child, I was a girl, Tendou Akane's closest friend. The girl you see now." She chanced a look at her classmates; the contempt had faded to skepticism, and she had everyone's undivided attention. She turned her gaze back to Akane, who was nodding and smiling.

She took a deep breath. "My father wanted a son. When I was four and a half, he abducted me." There were gasps from several of the students. "He took me to his master, Happousai, who used a magic spell to turn me into a boy. He took me on the road with him, on a martial arts training trip that lasted twelve years. I was so young, I soon forgot I was a girl up here"—she pointed at her head—"but I never forgot in here." She put her hands over her heart.

Ranko's throat was starting to hurt, and tears were starting to fall from her eyes. "By the time I was cursed at Jusenkyou, I had been brought up as a boy, and I tried hard to follow my upbringing. I fought my own feelings in order to do what I thought was right, to follow my sense of honor. I didn't know that the red-haired girl I turned into with cold water was the real me."

She was crying freely now as she spoke. "Even… even when I met my mother and learned the truth, I was too afraid of it to become a girl again. I tried to fight the truth, because I was afraid. When I thought I was a boy, I could fight my feelings, though I was very unhappy. But once I learned I was really a girl, I couldn't fight them any more. Even so, I was terribly frightened of becoming a girl again.

"My family doctor suggested I spend the summer as a girl, to see how I felt about it, and I did. A… friend used some magic to help lock my curse temporarily, and… and I had the most wonderful four weeks I can remember in my entire life." She let her gaze wander from Akane again, and she saw that several of the girls in the class were crying, too.

"When the summer was over, I thought I would try being a boy again, to see how that felt, so I could decide what to do. But two things happened. The magic that had been used to lock my curse had a side effect: it caused the original spell that turned me into a boy to dissolve, and the Jusenkyou curse with it. I'm now just a normal, uncursed girl again, like I was as a child. I cannot turn into a boy any more, and… and I don't want to. Because the other thing that happened was that I learned that even if I could turn into a boy again, my heart would not let me. I can't be a boy any more, physically or mentally. I will be Saotome Ranko, a girl, for the rest of my life, though I'm still not sure what that means. I… I hope all of you can accept me for who I really am." She swallowed. "That's… that's all I have to say."

Ranko was shocked when one of the girls stood and started to clap her hands. Other girls quickly joined in, and soon almost all of the girls in the class were standing and applauding. Many of the boys joined in as well, and Ranko's head was spinning as most of her classmates stood and applauded her. She had been expecting any reaction but this. She sagged in relief. Some of the students looked confused, and some looked upset, but most seemed supportive. Her eyes found Hiroshi and Daisuke, and they both looked to be in shock. She winced; she would have to talk to them personally soon, and it wasn't going to be easy.

Akane looked around the classroom with tears in her eyes, as she applauded with the others. Maybe… maybe Ranko would get the treatment she deserved, rather than what she had received as Ranma. She locked eyes with Ukyou, who was similarly teary, smiling and crying at the same time.

Yuka and Sayuri, who were still holding up the banner, looked at each other, and with their free hands, each flashed a peace sign to Ranko, who giggled in spite of herself.

When the applause started to die down, Kimura-sensei stepped forward. "Thank you, Saotome-kun, you did very well. I just want to reiterate to all of you that the school has verified the particulars surrounding Saotome-kun's birth. Her school records now reflect her gender and name properly, and she will be attending as a girl, and following the girl's curriculum. That includes using the girl's restroom and the girl's locker room." Several boys groaned in disappointment, which earned glares from the girls. "The school fully supports Saotome-kun, and I expect each of you to do so as well. Is that understood?" The class chorused "Hai!" respectfully.

Kimura-sensei nodded. "Now, if the cheering section would sit down, perhaps class could proceed." She smiled, and Sayuri and Yuka turned red. The students all craned their necks around to look behind them; they hadn't been aware of the two standing in the back with their banner. Sayuri and Yuka stepped off the chairs and rolled up the banner, then sat down. Kimura-sensei turned to leave.

Nodoka hugged Ranko again and whispered in her ear, "You made me so proud of you, darling. That was very brave. I'll see you tonight at the Tendous', after school." She let go, and followed Kimura-sensei out the door.

Ranko went to sit, and felt nervous as the eyes of her classmates followed her. She sat next to Akane, as she always did. One of the girls leaned over and whispered "That was so brave, Ranko-chan! Way to go!" Ranko blushed and smiled.

Suzuki-sensei began calling the roll, and soon reached her name. "Saotome Ranko?"

Her hand shot up. "Here!" she called, and beamed.

* * *

End Chapter 6

Monday, September 25, 2000

**Copyright Notice**

The characters and stories of Ranma ½ are Copyright © Rumiko Takahashi, and are used here without permission or license.

No claims to the above copyright are made by the author of this work.

This work is for non-commercial use ONLY, and is produced for the enjoyment of fans only.

This work is the expression of the author and the depiction of the Ranma ½ characters herein are in no way represented to be a part of Ranma ½ as depicted by the original author and copyright holder(s).


	7. Chapter 7: Discoveries

Genma's Daughter

By ClassicalGal

Original concept and parts of chapter 1 by Nesin Evets

Chapter 7: Discoveries

* * *

Ranko paused with her hand on the door to the girl's restroom. Unbidden, painful memories resurfaced from her last attempt at intrusion into girl-only space—her visit to the girl's locker room in search of the Japanese Nanniichuan. She swallowed.

Her body reminded her, somewhat urgently, that she didn't have a choice in the matter. She took a deep breath, and went in. She'd never been in here before, and she glanced around the room. There were a number of girls inside; it almost looked like… they were standing in line?

One girl was at the sink washing up, and turned to glare at Ranko. "What are _you_ doing in here?" Ranko turned bright red, and turned her eyes to the floor.

Another girl who was standing in line said "Megumi-chan, didn't you hear the news this morning?" Megumi shook her head. "Ranko-san is really a girl. The school verified it and everything. She's registered as a girl, and she's _supposed_ to be in here."

Megumi's glare faded, to be replaced by profound confusion. "You're… a _girl_? Since when?"

Ranko looked up, still nervous. "Since… since I was born. It's… a long story."

The other girl nodded. "It sure is, Megumi-chan. I'll tell you later. Trust me, it's OK."

Megumi looked at Ranko's face, and saw the embarrassment and pain there. She sighed. "I… I'm sorry… Ran… Ranko-san. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings."

Ranko smiled a small smile. "Th-That's OK. I understand." Megumi nodded and smiled back, then left.

Ranko turned back to the business at hand. "Ummm… Is… is this a line?" She looked at her watch; she didn't have a lot of time.

Several of the girls giggled. The girl who had defended Ranko spoke. "I can tell you haven't been a girl very long, Ranko-san. This happens sometimes, and it always seems to happen when you're in a hurry. You'd better get used to it." She smiled. "I'm Matsuura Remi. I think we met once before, when you were… in your other form." She laughed. "Of course, everyone at Fuurinkan knows you, but I don't know if you remember me."

Ranko smiled. "I… I think I remember. Thank you for sticking up for me just now, Remi-san."

Remi smiled back. "This must be hard for you, Ranko-san. I think a lot of the girls feel that you deserve a break." Her eyes became sad. "And… I was there that day in the locker room, when Akane-san brought you in. Now I understand what happened to you. I'm sorry."

Ranko felt embarrassed, but grateful for her support. "Thank you, Remi-san."

The line moved quickly enough, and Ranko was able to make it back to her class in time, though just barely. She felt encouraged; one more step taken successfully.

The news spread through the school like wildfire, and at lunchtime Ranko and her friends were surrounded by a mob of mostly girls. She had thought she'd have a quiet lunch with her four closest friends—Akane, Ucchan, Sayuri, and Yuka—but Fuurinkan's female population had other ideas. Ranko found herself telling her story over again for the benefit of students from other classes who hadn't heard it directly. There were gasps, and tears, and righteous anger in her audience at all the appropriate places. Ranko felt the support and acceptance coming from the other girls, and that gave her a very warm feeling.

In the middle of this, another girl walked up in a Fuurinkan uniform, and Ranko and Akane did a double-take. It was Shampoo.

"Shampoo! What are you doing here?" asked Ranko, smiling.

Shampoo smiled too. "Great-Grandmother make good on threat, send Shampoo to school." She stuck her tongue out. "Shampoo not sure she like; must sit in class whole day and listen to so many teachers." She shrugged her shoulders. "Shampoo in different class from Ranko and Akane, but Shampoo hope see between classes, OK?" Ranko and Akane nodded and smiled. Shampoo sat down, pulled out her lunch, and ate as she listened to Ranko speaking with the other girls. They seemed to be accepting her. Good.

Soon enough, the bell rang, and they had to file back inside; class resumed. At one point, Suzuki-sensei handed out a form so that the students could select an elective class for the term. Ranko looked through the list, and noticed the entry for "Music". She thought back to her conversation on the train home from Harajuku, and on impulse checked the box next to it.

As she walked to PE, still her last class of the day, she was lost in thought. Maybe picking music was a mistake. She loved music, though her father had never let her spend much time listening to it. Maybe she didn't have any real talent in it. Perhaps she should have picked something else.

She was still lost in thought and was about to push open the locker room door when Akane called out "Ranko! Not in there!" She looked up, and gasped. She had been about to go in the boy's locker room out of habit. She scooted over and followed Akane into the girl's locker room, her face bright red. That had been close. As she went in, she braced herself for possible reactions. The last time she'd been here, she'd received a beating.

She couldn't brace herself for what she found. When she came in, a cheer went up, and she saw that almost all the girls were standing around smiling and cheering her on. Once again, Yuka and Sayuri were standing on a bench, holding a banner. This time, it said "Welcome, Ranko-chan!"

Ranko couldn't help but laugh. "How many banners do you guys have, anyway?"

Yuka struck a silly pose. "Why, we've one for every occasion, of course!" Everyone laughed.

Ranko looked around and found herself getting teary. "Everyone, thank you… I can't tell you how much this means to me." She tried to wipe her tears away, in vain. "I… I was so scared about today. I was so afraid you'd be angry at me for being in the restroom, being in here. You guys are wonderful." She smiled through her tears.

Akane came over and gave her a gentle hug. "You deserve it, Ranko." Many of the girls nodded.

Akane said "Come on, let's get ready for PE. Let's show those boys what Saotome Ranko can do!"

Ranko giggled and wiped her eyes. "OK!"

For the first time, Ranko was with the girls instead of watching them wistfully from across the field. PE was the same, for the most part—the bloomers they had to wear were incredibly uncomfortable, and she missed the loose clothing she had worn as a boy—but the feeling of belonging, the group aura that the girls exuded, was something she had never experienced. Why hadn't she ever noticed this when she had been watching them from afar?

In boy's PE, she had always felt pressured to show off, to overpower the other boys. Competition was everything. Rather than enjoying her superiority as an athlete, that had made her feel apart from the others, alone. There was competition here too, of course, but it was… different. The girls knew how good an athlete Ranko was; they let her exercise her skills, but made her feel part of the team, too. She found herself enjoying the teamwork as they played soccer, and for the first time enjoyed the passing as much as she had the scoring of goals. Here, they could compete, but still be a group. Most importantly, she never felt apart, alone.

When PE was over, she looked up at the sky and sighed. Why had she hesitated so much to do this? She knew, deep in her heart, that this was where she belonged—had always belonged. She couldn't believe how happy she was. She shook her head in wonder, and headed inside.

Someone had other ideas. Hirota stepped in front of her. "Hey, _Ranma_. I wanna talk to you." His pals surrounded him, though they didn't look particularly interested in being there.

Ranko looked up. She could clobber all of them easily, even with her reduced training regimen. But they did not know the Art, and it would be dishonorable. Besides… she didn't enjoy fighting any more. Sparring, yes, fighting, no.

She tried to remember her mother's encounter with Ryouga. "Oh? And what is it you want to talk to me about, Hirota-kun?"

Hirota started at being addressed as "Hirota-kun", then scowled. "I always knew you were a sissy."

Ranko's blood started to boil, but then the absurdity struck her, and she laughed.

"What's so funny?"

"I'm a girl, and you're trying to make me mad by calling me a sissy? Doesn't that strike you as a little… strange?" One of Hirota's friends started to snicker, and he turned and glared. The snickers died.

"Who says you're a girl? You're just fakin' it, like you always do."

Ranko was about to earnestly defend herself and launch into the whole explanation about birth certificates and her mother, when inspiration struck. Hirota wasn't looking for proof, not really. He'd been in the classroom that morning, after all.

She fluttered her eyelashes. "Why, Hirota-kun, I'm shocked. I would think you're old enough to know the difference between boys and girls." She drew herself up. "Surely you're not expecting me to educate you?" She _hmphed_. "I'm not that kind of a girl."

This time there were multiple snickers. Hirota turned bright red.

Behind the bushes, one of the girls said simply, "Wow. How long has she been a girl?"

Akane turned and spoke. "Only four weeks, but Ranko has always been a really fast learner. And her mother is a good teacher." Akane thought for a moment. "Come to think of it, there were all those times she pretended to be a girl, too… I guess she's had more practice than I realized." She turned back to watch.

Hirota was incensed. This was not going according to plan. "Why, I oughta…"

"What? Hit a girl?"

"You're not a girl!"

Ranko shook her head and _tsked_. "Really, Hirota-kun, I think you might need glasses."

Ranko was keeping her cool and having fun, but Akane finally lost her temper. She came out from behind the bushes and stormed over. The other girls scrambled to follow her.

Hirota winced as Tendou Akane came up and gave him The Glare. "Ranko, is this _boy_ bothering you?"

Ranko dropped the cute act and looked straight at Hirota. She pierced him with her glare; Hirota felt like a butterfly on a pin. "No, Akane, he just doesn't seem to know the _difference_ between boys and girls. He seems to be implying I'm not a girl."

Hirota started to backpedal. "Ummm, well, uh… I… I didn't mean to…"

Akane was in his face. "Let's get one thing straight, Mister. Saotome Ranko is a girl. Do you think we'd let her in our restroom, in our locker room, if she wasn't? I don't know what your problem is, but get over it!" She turned to Ranko. "Come on, let's leave this jerk and go change."

Ranko looked at Hirota one last time, her glare ice cold. She turned her back on him and walked away with the other girls. Hirota and his friends watched them go.

One of the boys whistled a long, low whistle. "Wow." He walked over to Hirota and hit him on the head with his knuckles. "Man, you are so dumb. You still think she's not a girl?"

Hirota was still speechless, his eyes on where the girls had gone into the locker room. He slowly shook his head.

* * *

As soon as they had entered the locker room, the story had made its way around, and the other girls made a point of congratulating Ranko on the way she had handled the situation. There had been a lot of laughing and joking over the incident.

Some of the girls still held back a little, but Ranko noticed that when she turned on the hot water in the shower and got in, these girls seemed to relax. _I guess they didn't believe me before_, she thought. She enjoyed her shower immensely. It was such a pleasure to get wet without having to worry about hot or cold. Finally, after all these months, it was just water again.

She didn't notice the hush that descended over the locker room for a few moments, as even the girls who were already supporting her sobered at this direct evidence that Ranko was permanently female. It was at that moment that it truly sank in that it had been her boy side which had been the magical curse, and that it would never be seen again.

Akane and Ranko were still laughing about Hirota as they turned into the street where the Tendous lived. "Oh, Ranko, could you believe the look on his face?"

Ranko nodded, snickering the whole time. "That was fun…"

They walked up the path and into the house. "Tadaima!"

Nodoka and Kasumi came to meet them. "O-kaeri! How did your day go, dear?"

Ranko's huge smile was answer enough. "I… I don't know where to start…"

Nodoka smiled back. "Why don't you come in the living room and tell us?" They all went in, and Ranko and Akane proceeded to tell them about the whole day: Ranko's being accepted by most of the girls, the classes she had attended, Shampoo, the locker room, and her encounter with Hirota.

Nodoka shook her head. "Ranko, dear, you need to learn to be more careful. Some boys have fragile egos, and you can provoke them easily by teasing."

Ranko bristled. "I'm a martial artist, Mother. I can defend myself."

"Yes, you can, but do you really want to have to? Where's the honor in provoking a fight through words?" Ranko looked down, chastised, and nodded.

"It's all right, dear. It sounds like this boy was angry at you to start with. Sometimes those fragile egos need to be deflated a little bit." She smiled, then stood up. "Kasumi and I are preparing something special for dinner, to celebrate. Why don't you go take off your uniform while we get busy in the kitchen? It's been a busy day for you, so just relax." Ranko nodded, and Nodoka and Kasumi went into the kitchen.

She and Akane went up the stairs, and Ranko stopped to open the door to her room as Akane went past. She wasn't looking forward to this old room again, with the memories of her father…

Akane was about to open her own door when she heard a gasp from Ranko down the hall. She hurried back, asking "What is it, Ranko? What's wrong?" Ranko was staring into her room, and Akane turned to look in.

The room had been completely redecorated. It wasn't the spartan place it had been, but was now clearly the room of a teenage girl. The furniture had been completely replaced, there was a bed, there were lacy curtains, and the walls had been repainted a soft, pastel color. There was a small vanity with a mirror. The martial arts posters on the wall had been taken down for the repainting, then carefully put back up.

Ranko wandered over and plopped on the bed, still a little in shock, trying to take it all in. She saw that Kasumi, the doll, had been brought here from her room at home. There was another doll, a new one, sitting next to Kasumi; it had bright red hair, which made her smile. _I wonder what I should name you_, she thought. _Maybe… Ranma-chan?_ She giggled. _I'd have to get you some Chinese clothes for that._ She noted something stuck behind one of the pillows, and moved the pillow to look at it…

Akane wandered around the room, and noticed that the photo of Genma, Nodoka, and the child Ranko had been transported from Ranko's dresser at the Saotome home. She smiled; Auntie clearly knew how important Uncle was to Ranko. She hoped the photo would be enough for Ranko after Akane murdered him. She was startled out of her plotting by a strangled noise coming from the bed.

She whirled around and found Ranko sitting on the bed, bent over nearly double, her arms around her middle and wheezing pitifully. She seemed to be having trouble breathing.

Akane rushed over. "Ranko, what's wrong? Are you all right?" Ranko nodded, but kept wheezing. Akane scratched her head. "Whatever is the matter with you?"

Ranko didn't straighten up, but an arm came out from around her middle, and she pointed over at her pillow. The wheezing noises continued. Akane looked over at the pillow, and her jaw dropped. Sitting there was a stuffed animal. It was a panda, about a half meter tall. It had crossed eyes.

Akane sank to her knees and joined Ranko in helpless laughter.

* * *

Nodoka came out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on a towel. "Dinner's just about ready, girls." She looked around; Nabiki was sitting in a corner reading a magazine, and Akane was watching TV. "Where is Ranko?"

Akane turned around and smiled. She got up, walked over to the sofa, and pointed. Nodoka came over.

Ranko was asleep on the sofa, her arms flung carelessly over the side. She had changed from her uniform to a pair of cutoff jeans and a sleeveless top. She had a peaceful smile on her face.

Nodoka smiled herself. Kami-sama, how she had missed her little girl. She shook Ranko gently. "Ranko, dear…"

Ranko startled a little bit, and her eyes opened halfway. "Huh?… Whazzit?"

"You need to get up, sweetheart."

Ranko rolled over. "Mama, jus lemme sleep…"

"Dinner is ready."

Ranko's eyes shot open. "Did you say dinner?" Akane burst into giggles. Ranko roused herself, and they went over to the dining table, where Kasumi was just setting the last dishes down.

Ranko and Akane sat next to each other, as they always did. Ranko looked around. Kasumi and Mother had outdone themselves. Her mouth started to water. There was everything she liked to eat, and…

"Red beans and rice?" she asked.

Kasumi smiled. "You've passed a huge milestone, Ranko-chan. I thought we ought to commemorate it."

Ranko beamed; she knew red beans and rice was a dish served only for special occasions. "Kasumi-neechan, thank you. And… thank you for redecorating my room. It really means a lot to me."

It was Kasumi's turn to beam. "You're very welcome, Ranko-chan. It's our 'welcome back' gift to our little sister." Nabiki was smiling too, though it might have been a little forced. After a quick "Itadakimasu," they began to eat.

Akane smiled. Ranko was enjoying herself thoroughly, and a summer with her mother had civilized her eating manners to the point where they were reasonable, if not exemplary. Akane was serving herself some red beans and rice, when something caught at her mind. It reminded her of something, and she couldn't quite remember what it was. She had a feeling of deja vu but couldn't place it.

She was still trying to figure it out ten minutes later. Something… about the red beans and rice. _Now, when was the last time Kasumi-neechan served red beans and rice? Wasn't it when I…_ Akane's eyes widened and she dropped her chopsticks. Everyone looked up.

Nodoka looked at her. "Akane-chan, is something wrong?"

Akane looked around. She didn't want to blurt this out, even though they were all girls; she didn't want to embarrass Ranko. She said "Auntie, it's… it's a little private. Just a moment." She walked around the table and whispered in Nodoka's ear.

It was Nodoka's turn to look surprised. "Why, no… I hadn't thought of it. She is well past the usual age, after all. But you're quite right." She turned to look at Ranko.

Suddenly, Nabiki's eyes widened, and she was looking at Ranko too.

Ranko looked around. "What is it?" She was starting to get nervous.

Nodoka cleared her throat. "I'll tell you after dinner, dear. It's just something you need to know now that you're a girl." Kasumi dropped her own chopsticks at that, and Ranko sighed. _Why does everyone know about this but me? It must be some girl thing._

After dinner, Nodoka took Ranko by the hand and led her into the Dojo for some privacy. Twenty minutes later they came back, and Ranko was white as a sheet. She had thought that fainting in baths was the last surprise her female body had in store for her. She should have known better.

She had heard rumors about this from the boys in the locker room, but it hadn't been important to her at the time—she had been a boy, after all—and she hadn't thought about the fact that it now applied to her. It hadn't happened yet because she hadn't ever spent enough time in her girl form. Now…

Nodoka and Ranko sat on the sofa, and Akane joined them. Nodoka put an arm around her daughter. "Don't be so frightened, dear. It's not that bad." Akane took Ranko's hand, and nodded. "You get used to it. It's a pain in the neck, but you cope. Auntie's right, it's not that bad."

Ranko shook her head. "I… I'm not thinking about that so much as… as…" she swallowed, "the implications. Being… being a moth… a mother." There. She'd said it.

Nodoka gave her another squeeze. "You don't have to be a mother if you don't want to be, dear. You don't have to have a family." _Kami-sama, please let her change her mind. I want grandchildren…_

Ranko blushed. "But… but I do want a family. I like children. I… I'm just not sure I'm ready to do what's required to… get them." She shuddered. "And… boys… I just can't imagine…" she trailed off.

"Of course not, dear, you're still too young. Don't worry about it until you're older."

Ranko thought about that. Her mother was right, but she knew she would be forced to think about it at least once a month.

* * *

Ranko and Akane were on their way out to lunch the next day when Hiroshi and Daisuke walked up. "Ranma… I mean, Ranko-chan?"

Ranko and Akane looked at each other, and Akane looked at the two boys. She turned back to Ranko. "I'll be in the usual place, OK?" Ranko nodded, and Akane went on by herself.

Ranko turned back to her two friends. She felt very nervous, for some reason. "Yes?"

Hiroshi and Daisuke looked at each other. Hiroshi spoke. "I… I just wanted to say… we… we can still be friends, right?"

Ranko tried a smile. "Of course, guys. Why wouldn't we be?"

Hiroshi looked uncertain. "Well, we… we thought maybe… that, you know, you disliked being a boy so much, and we heard about what happened with Hirota yesterday, and…"

Ranko felt her heart tighten a little. "No, guys, that's not it at all. I don't hate boys. I… I'm just not a boy, that's all. There's nothing wrong with being a boy, but I'm just… not." She smiled. "Don't worry, I don't look down on you or anything."

Hiroshi and Daisuke seemed to brighten. "Gee… that's… that's great! I guess we can still be pals, huh?" Ranko nodded, her smile broadening.

Daisuke smiled. "I knew we could count on you, buddy!" He clapped a hand on Ranko's shoulder, and she froze.

She looked up into Daisuke's eyes, and felt afraid. His hand on her shoulder was causing feelings she had never had before; she felt… she felt… She kept looking into his eyes, and shivered.

Daisuke swallowed nervously, and quickly removed his hand. "Uhh, well, ummm, see ya around, right buddy?" She nodded, her eyes still on his. The two boys turned and walked away.

As they did, Ranko felt tears coming. Her friends… she could feel the distance between them, the gulf that had not been there before. The gulf that she had crossed, but they had not. She treasured her new friends, but the old ones… She walked over to where Akane was sitting.

Akane, Ukyou, Sayuri, Yuka, and Shampoo were there, as well as a handful of other girls: Remi, Megumi, and others who wanted a chance to chat with Ranko. Ranko's hot shower the previous day had erased most of the remaining reservations the girls had. The conversation died when they noticed Ranko's wet eyes.

Ukyou spoke first. "What's wrong, Ranchan? What happened?"

Ranko sat down. "It's… it's Hiroshi and Daisuke. I never really had too many friends as a boy, but they were good ones. Just now, they… they thought I must hate boys, because I became a girl." She paused. "I told them that wasn't the reason I changed, but still…" she trailed off. "Then, Daisuke put his hand on my shoulder, you know, just like a buddy would? But… it… it made me feel… strange. Frightened. And… and I had other feelings… I… I never felt before." She swallowed. "He could tell. It put them both off." She hung her head and her voice dropped to a whisper. "I… I wonder if I can ever be friends with any boy again."

The other girls all looked at each other. Yuka leaned over, and put a hand on Ranko's arm to comfort her. Ranko smiled sadly. "It's funny, isn't it? When you put a hand on my arm, or Akane does, I feel comforted. I feel friendship. I feel… safe. But when he did it… I… I…" she trailed off.

Sayuri spoke up. "Ranko-chan, you're a girl, and… they're boys. That doesn't mean you can't be friends, but… there is going to be something there that you… you might not have felt before. It… it sounds to me like… like you probably have the… normal feelings you would expect a girl to… to have about boys."

Ranko nodded, a frightened look on her face.

Sayuri took a deep breath. "If… if you're aware of that, and understand it, then… then it's possible to be friends with a boy. You just have to understand that the chemistry is different, now."

Ranko seemed lost in thought, and Ukyou and Shampoo looked at each other for a moment, their feelings on the exact same wavelength.

Akane leaned over and put her own hand on Ranko's shoulder. "You have so many new friends now, Ranko. We're all going to be here for you, never forget that. I'm not saying to throw away the old ones, but… now that you're a girl, people are going to see you differently, and you'll see boys differently than you did before. That can't help but change things." She sighed. "Give it time. I'm sure the three of you will find a new way to be friends."

Ranko nodded morosely. "I… I know. I'm just not happy about it."

Akane said, "Come on, Sis, cheer up." She grinned.

Ranko couldn't help but smile at being called Sis. "OK. I'll stop moping."

They spent the rest of lunch talking about other things, as the girls made a concerted effort to get Ranko's mind off the incident.

"Ranko-chan, what elective did you sign up for?" asked Sayuri

Ranko brightened. "I decided to try music. I don't know, I just like it, and I thought maybe I might enjoy the class."

Sayuri was excited. "That's great, Ranko-chan! I worked up my nerve and decided to try it again myself. We'll be in that class together!" She beamed. "I want to try the piano again."

Ranko turned a little pale. "You… you mean you _play_ instruments in that class?"

Sayuri laughed. "Don't worry, Ranko-chan. That's only part of the class, and most people are beginners. They're not expecting you to sit down and play a concert or anything." She giggled. "It's just to try things out, and see if you like it. It's more like music appreciation."

Ranko relaxed. Maybe… maybe this would be fun after all.

On the way home, Akane noticed that Ranko seemed to be thinking again. She had a brooding look on her face. As they passed the street which led to the bridge over the canal, she paused a moment, then turned to Akane. "Akane… Sis… I… I think I want to… to think for a while. By myself." She smiled sadly. "Don't worry, I'll be home soon."

Akane _was_ worried; Ranko was still pretty fragile emotionally, and cried easily. It wasn't really surprising given the massive upheaval in her life and the new experiences and feelings she was constantly being bombarded with. She'd gone from living as a boy, and thinking of herself as one, to being a teenage girl, with all that implied, in just over a month. She was actually doing surprisingly well, considering. Akane hoped she regained her equilibrium soon.

She looked at Ranko for a long moment, then nodded once. "Don't go and cry by yourself, you hear me? If you feel a cry coming on, come on home. OK?"

Ranko nodded. "OK." Her smile brightened a little bit, and they just stood there for a moment before each went her own way.

Akane smiled. They were so close, now. This… this was what she had had a glimpse of that night so long ago, when a panda had delivered a red-haired girl to her home. She had had an intuition that the two of them would be very close, that they would share everything, like sisters; no wonder the curse had shattered her trust so badly.

A few minutes later Ranko was at her favorite spot again, under the bridge. She went to sit down, but had to search for a dry patch; she didn't want to stain her uniform. She finally settled on a discarded cinder block and looked out across the canal.

The children were playing again; it was a favorite spot for them, too. She looked at the two separate groups: boys, and girls. Each kept to themselves. She sighed.

What had happened to her? She knew she had to be a girl, wanted to be a girl, but… but it was so alien, sometimes. So different from the way she had lived before. And being a girl, there was a whole package of other things that came along with that. Like… she could tell that she was starting to find boys… attractive. She felt overwhelmed by the differences.

She thought back to her life before. It was just six weeks ago, but it seemed so far away, she could hardly remember what it was like. She… she had disliked it, but it had been familiar: simultaneously uncomfortable and comfortable. She thought about the black-haired boy she had been… Suddenly, she gave a little gasp.

_I'm not him any more_, she thought. _I'm not Saotome Ranma. He… he's dead. He's gone. I'm… I'm a different person, in so many ways. Ranma… Ranma is dead._ Tears came quickly to her eyes, and she cried.

Hibiki Ryouga squinted. Funny, this looked too small to be the Yodo River. But he was in Osaka, so it had to be. He hadn't known it looked like a drainage canal.

He looked up the river bank, and saw a girl wearing a school uniform, crying. _That's odd_, he thought, _that's the same uniform they wear at Fuurinkan. Oh well, I guess there aren't too many different kinds._ He walked up to her. "Is something wrong, Miss? Can I help?"

Ranko looked up at him, eyes red. "Ryouga?"

Ryouga did a double take. "Ranko-san? What are you doing in Osaka?"

Ranko shook her head. "This isn't Osaka, Ryouga. We're in Nerima, on the canal."

He looked around. Now that she mentioned it, the place _did_ look familiar. Ranko started to cry again.

He sat down next to her. She had changed so much! He couldn't find any traces of the boy he had known. She was just another girl who went to Fuurinkan. No… not just another girl. A very beautiful girl, with stunning, silky red hair that blew slightly in the wind… "Ranko-san, what's wrong?" He shook his head. He had to stop staring at her; it was rude.

She looked at him. "I… I feel funny talking to you about it, and that's just the point! I… I just realized… I'm not Ranma any more. He… he had to _die_ for me to be me! He didn't deserve to die, but he had to!" She cried harder.

Ryouga tried to decipher what she was saying, and failed. "What do you mean, Ranko-san?"

"I… I mean… I'm a girl now, and… and… it's so far away from what I was… the boys who were my friends… they… they see me as a girl now, and I… I see them as… as boys. When they t-touched me, I felt… I felt… It's so different, so alien, it's… it's just hard sometimes. Everything in my life has changed." She was sobbing now.

Ryouga felt powerless to help her, and that made him feel miserable for some reason. He… he wanted her to be happy. He reached out, tentatively, and hesitated. It sounded like being touched by a boy had… unsettled her. A particularly loud sob escaped her, and his courage firmed up. He reached out and put an arm around her.

Ranko noticed Ryouga's arm drape over her shoulder. It… it felt strange, like Daisuke's hand had felt, but she felt something else, too. She… she felt like…

Suddenly, Ranko spun around and buried her head in Ryouga's shoulder, sobbing. Slowly, he reached around with his other arm, and held her as she cried. He wondered at what was going on. Who would have imagined this scene two months ago? His glass heart went out to her as he held her gently in his embrace.

Ranko felt a million conflicting emotions running through her. Being held by a boy frightened her, but… but it also made her feel safe, made her feel stronger. She felt… protected. She'd never felt that way before. She couldn't believe Ryouga, of all people, was holding her. She knew she was strong, she knew she could stand on her own without having to lean on anyone else, but somehow, being in his arms was… she couldn't put words to it.

Ryouga held her and stroked her hair. He noticed the scent; it smelled of flowers. Her body felt so soft against his; she was such a sensitive, beautiful, sweet girl. He leaned his head down on top of hers, the better to smell her hair. He sighed; holding her was so… Suddenly, his eyes went very wide. _No… no… I can't be… no! I… Akane-san…_

Ranko seemed to be collecting herself; she separated from him and stood up. She was sniffling and wiping her eyes. "Ryouga… I… I am so sorry. I didn't mean to go to pieces on you like that." She smiled wanly. "Th-Thank you. I… I guess I needed a shoulder to cry on. I feel a lot better." She looked at his shirt. "With all those tears, it's a wonder I didn't turn you into P-chan!" She made a face; she really was feeling better. She realized that with all the changes she had gone through, it was no surprise if she was overwhelmed from time to time. She managed to smile at him.

He rose to his feet, a little unsteady. "N-n-no p-problem, R-ranko-san. R-really! I… I was glad I could help."

Ranko looked at Ryouga. He seemed very nervous for some reason. _Probably he still thinks of me as a boy_, she thought. _That probably made him really uncomfortable holding me…_

"Well, I really appreciate it. I know you probably still think of me as a boy, somewhat, so I hope that didn't make you too uncomfortable."

Ryouga's voice was squeaky. "No! No! Of course not! No problem!"

_How sweet of him to deny it_, she thought. "Oh, I promised Akane I wouldn't take too long." She pulled a mirror out of her purse. "Look at my eyes! You can tell I've been crying. Well, I hope she doesn't get too mad at me. I promised not to go off and cry by myself." She put the mirror away. "I… I've got to go, Ryouga… kun." She blinked, but it had seemed like the natural thing to call him. "Again, thank you. You're very sweet."

He gulped and nodded without saying anything, and she turned and walked off. Ryouga watched her, mesmerized, as she climbed the bank, holding her slender arms out for balance, her red hair and the skirt of her uniform ruffling gently in the late summer breeze as she picked her way among the weeds. She reached the top, and disappeared up the road.

Slowly, Ryouga sank to his knees. He whispered "Akane-san… Ranko-san…" Then he put his head in his hands and howled, "Oh, Kami-sama, I'm turning into Kunou!"

* * *

Akane looked up from her book and called "O-kaeri" in response to Ranko's "Tadaima!" She smiled, but the smile died on her lips. "You've been crying."

Ranko looked embarrassed. "Well… yes. I… I was just a little overwhelmed by what happened today." She sighed. "Things have changed so much for me. I… I realized that Ranma… the person I was… it's almost like he died. I… I don't want to go back to being him, not ever, but still…"

Akane nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, I can see what you're saying."

Ranko looked at herself. "Let me go change out of my uniform, OK?" Akane nodded.

A few minutes later, Ranko came back downstairs, wearing her jean skirt and floral top. It was starting to be a little too chilly for sleeveless fashions, and the sundresses were put away until next summer. She sat on the sofa next to Akane, sat back with her hands in her lap, and sighed.

Akane leaned her elbow casually on the arm of the sofa, her head on her hand. "I told you not to cry by yourself. Why didn't you come home?"

Ranko blushed. "I know. I… I wasn't planning to cry. It just sort of… happened."

Akane shook her head. "Crying by yourself is a lonely thing, Sis. I would have been happy to come with you and keep you company."

Ranko squirmed. "Uhh… I didn't exactly cry by myself."

Akane straightened up a little. "What do you mean?"

Ranko sighed. "Well, the funniest thing happened. There I was, crying, when who should show up but… Ryouga? He thought he was in Osaka." She giggled. "Anyway, when he saw I was crying, he… put an arm around me, and the next thing I knew, my face was in his shoulder and he was holding me…" she trailed off.

Akane sat up straight. "And… how did that feel?"

Ranko looked at the ceiling as she thought. "Well, it was a little scary, like when Daisuke put his hand on my arm, but it was also… comforting. Like when you put your arm around me, but… different." She blushed. "I… I felt… protected." She laughed. "I would never have thought I would ever say something like that." She sobered. "And… that just made it even more clear that I wasn't Ranma any more." She sighed. "But it helped. I felt better."

Akane smiled. "That's all normal; I'm glad he was there. How did he react?"

Ranko looked bemused. "I think he still must think of me as a boy, somewhat. He was so nervous afterwards!" She laughed. "He was so nervous he was stuttering."

Akane's eyebrows went up. "Really? Are you sure that's why he was nervous?"

Ranko nodded. "Well, he denied it, but I think he was just being nice. What else could it be?"

Akane smiled uncertainly. "Ummm… yeah." Inwardly, she worried. Ranko was so pretty and had such a nice personality that Akane knew that it was only a matter of time before boys became very interested in her. She hadn't expected Ryouga to be one of them, given the history between them, but she had to admit it was really hard to see Ranma in Ranko, unless you knew what to look for.

While Ranko behaved differently than she had as a boy, that was how she expressed herself, not who she was. Akane had lived in the same house with Ranko, both the boy and the girl, for almost half a year; she knew her best friend/twin sister very well. The real change was not the surface mannerisms, but that Ranko was happy with who she was now. Ranma had been desperate to prove himself a "man amongst men", perhaps to himself most of all; it had colored every aspect of his behavior. Ranko didn't need to, and that made a huge difference.

Akane worried for her sister; she was still a fledgling, so to speak, and just barely used to being a girl. Still, Ryouga was a very nice boy, and maybe, just maybe, if things were handled right… She decided to keep an eye on the situation.

Ranko was sure of the cause for Ryouga's stuttering. After all, she knew he was in love with Akane, so it couldn't be that. Besides, until recently, he had been trying to kill her. Really, how could he fall in love with her?

* * *

The next day, Akane and Ranko were walking through the gates of Fuurinkan, when their luck finally ran out. Kunou was waiting for them; they both sighed.

"Fair Akane! Pig-tailed girl! I have but just returned from my family's private isle! Oh, how my heart has ached to see you, my loves!"

Ranko's face was dark. "I have a name, _Senpai_. It's Ranko. Saotome Ranko. Could you _please_ use my name?" She turned her head to the side to show him her hair. "There isn't a pigtail any more, anyway."

Kunou beamed. "Ah, beauteous Ranko! How thy fair visage doth shine! And yet, still you take the same name as that foul sorceror, who I see has bolted, like the coward he is. What will free you from his grasp?"

Akane noticed that Ranko's battle aura was glowing to match her own. "Don't you dare talk about Ranma like that!" screamed Ranko. "You have no right!" Kunou was instantly unconscious in the dirt, the footprints of two angry girls on his face.

Ranko was scowling as she and Akane walked into the building. She checked her uniform for dirt. "And I promised Mother I wouldn't fight in this…"

Akane smirked. "Extenuating circumstances." They both giggled.

At lunch, Nabiki was enjoying her ramen when Kunou walked up. She sighed. "What is it, Kunou-chan?" She noticed he had footprint-shaped bruises on his face. Both girl-sized, one a little smaller than the other. Yup, she knew who'd made those.

Kunou showed a wad of bills. "Five weeks have passed, Tendou Nabiki, and I desire to know the truth about the sorceror Saotome. Why is he not attending school? Why do fair Akane and the beauteous pig-tailed… I mean beauteous Ranko defend him so?"

Nabiki looked Kunou over critically. The truth would never do. Many people had tried to drill the truth through that dense skull, but it had proved impervious, displacing diamond as the hardest substance known to man.

Still, maybe an edited version… "Very well, Kunou-chan. You're right, time's up." She motioned to the chair opposite her. "Have a seat." The kendoist sat at the table and waited. "Payment in advance, Kunou-chan." He scowled, but handed the bills over.

Nabiki thought. "Kunou-chan, there is something you must know about Saotome Ranko and Saotome Ranma. They share the same name because… they had the same parents."

Kunou sat up straight in surprise. "Brother and sister?" He considered this. "How could that be so? He has so vilely enslaved her." He paused. "And yet, are not brother and sister close, each protecting the other? Verily, this would explain the beauteous Ranko's defense of him."

Nabiki nodded. "They were even born at the same time."

Kunou stroked his chin. "Twins! Indeed, no wonder one was never found far from the other." Nabiki's eyes widened, but she said nothing. He scowled again. "And yet, it still does not excuse his unwarranted attentions to the fair Akane."

Nabiki shrugged. "They were engaged by their parents. Neither of them really wanted it, though they were good friends."

Kunou, uncharacteristically, noticed something. "You say 'were'—has this grievous error been rectified?"

Nabiki nodded. "That's right, Kunou-chan. They're… not engaged any more."

Kunou practically shouted with joy. "Ah, righteousness triumphs! And so the fair Akane is no longer trapped by the foul…" he trailed off, noticing Nabiki's sad expression. "There is something more, is there not? Pray, tell me."

Nabiki sniffled, and was glad acting blood ran in the family, though Akane had more of it than she did. "You don't understand, Kunou-chan. The engagement ended because… Ranma is… no longer with us." She sighed. "He… he left us this summer, forever." She wiped a tear away. Brava!

Kunou was stunned. "You mean, Saotome Ranma is… no more?"

Nabiki nodded. "He… he learned of his destiny shortly before summer break. Though he tried, there was nothing he could do to escape it." She wasn't even lying, technically. She really ought to get a job writing advertisements; she'd do very well. Or maybe product labels.

Kunou sagged in his seat. "Truly, then, their defense of him is explained… he was already fading."

Nabiki nodded. "Exactly."

"So young! Such a tragedy makes the soul weep. And this morning, I… I besmirched his name… to his grieving sister and fiancée." He looked grim. "Truly, I have erred."

"Speaking ill of the… departed is typically frowned upon, yes."

Kunou rose. "There is only one course left to me. I must… console them with my bountiful love!" And with that, he strode off.

Nabiki watched her family's largest source of income walk away, then turned to counting her profits. She had a satisfied smile; this would easily pay for Ranko's new room, and more.

Akane and Ranko were eating lunch with the other girls when Kunou walked up.

"Fair Akane, beauteous Ranko, I must apologize to you for my ungentlemanly behavior this morning."

The assembled girls peered at him in shock. Was… was this really Kunou?

Ranko managed to squeak out, "Senpai?"

Kunou went on. "I have just recently learned from the mercenary Nabiki of the sad fate of your twin brother." He paused. "I am afraid I let my rivalry with the departed get the better of my manners. It was only because I was driven by visions of you, my loves, but still, know that I grieve with you for your loss. He was… a good man."

Understanding started to dawn. "Ummm… Th-thank you, Senpai…"

"You may rest assured that I will honor his memory. And what better way—than by showering my affections upon you?" He moved to embrace them.

As Kunou lay there in the dirt, the pain of a dozen girls' blows clouding his vision, he reflected that Ranma's untimely end seemed to have brought him no closer to the objects of his heart's desire. He sighed as he lost consciousness.

* * *

Akane and Ranko detoured through the Fuurinkan shopping district on their way home, just to window-shop a little as they chatted on their way home.

"I'll have to thank Nabiki later—if I heard 'foul sorceror' one more time, I don't know what I'd do. The truth never worked, but this seemed to." Ranko sighed. "Too bad he isn't going to leave us alone."

Akane laughed. "That would be too much to hope for, don't you think?"

Ranko laughed as well. "I guess so." She sobered. "I guess I still have Kodachi to deal with, too."

"You're right," said Akane. "She isn't likely to be as tractable." She pondered that, then looked around; Ranko wasn't there. She turned around; Ranko had stopped a few paces back, and was looking in a store window. Akane retraced her steps.

It was a jewelry store, and Ranko was gazing wistfully at some earrings. They were silver, the dangly kind. She sighed, "I really like these, but… they're for pierced ears."

When Akane didn't say anything, she looked up. Akane was looking back at her with her arms folded, her head tilted, and a smile on her face.

Ranko was confused. "What?"

Akane still didn't respond, but pointed at the sign on a shelf in the window. Ranko turned to read it. "Free piercing when you buy piercing set!" She turned back to Akane, and smiled herself. "You're… you're right…"

Fifteen minutes later, Ranko and Akane walked out of the shop. Ranko had gold piercing studs in her ears, and held a bag with the earrings she had liked and a kit to care for her newly pierced ears. She was blushing and smiling at the same time. She… she didn't have to worry about things like this, not any more…

When they came home, Kasumi and Nabiki noticed the huge smile on Ranko's face. Kasumi looked between Akane and Ranko; they were obviously sharing a secret.

"What?" she asked, smiling. It was wonderful to see the two of them so happy, and getting along so well. Just like when they were children…

"Do you notice anything different about me, Oneechan?" Ranko was beaming.

Kasumi shook her head, until Ranko moved her hair aside. "Oh! You've gotten your ears pierced! How nice!" She looked on and made the appropriate noises as Ranko showed off both ears. Nabiki couldn't help but smile; Ranko was going through all the same stages she and her sisters had, just a little… delayed.

The next day at school, Ranko was showing off her ears to her friends at lunch. They were all a bit old to be excited at that kind of thing, but knew how Ranko felt. Later that day, Sayuri drew Ranko aside in the locker room, as they were getting dressed after PE.

"Ranko-chan, I… have something in my locker for you."

Ranko's eyebrows went up. "You do?" Akane came over to listen.

Sayuri nodded, and pulled out a small bag, from which she withdrew a box. "Here. I've wanted to give this to you for a while, but I was waiting for… the right opportunity."

Ranko opened the box, and gasped. In it were the green jade earrings she had so admired on their trip to Harajuku. She looked up. "How… why…?"

Sayuri was beaming. "I knew you liked them, so I bought them for when you were ready to wear them. They're my way of saying, 'I'm glad you're my friend.'"

Ranko felt tears coming. "But… but how did you know I'd get my ears pierced? How did you know I would even stay a girl? Your money could have been wasted!"

Akane and Sayuri looked at each other and smiled. "Ranko-chan, when I spent that first day with you, I _knew_. I knew you were a girl. The way you looked at those earrings, I thought it was a pretty safe bet, and… here we are, aren't we?"

Ranko nodded, unable to speak, and suddenly threw her arms around Sayuri, who hugged her back. "Th-thank you. I… I'm glad you're my friend, too." Sayuri nodded, and Akane wiped a tear from her eye.

* * *

Friday came, and it was time for Ranko's first music class. She looked around at the other students sitting in the music room; most of them were girls, including Sayuri, who sat next to her. There were a few boys, including—to her surprise—Hiroshi and… Hirota! She never would have dreamed someone like him would have an appreciation for music.

Maybe it was just her… him… that Hirota had picked on. She knew a lot of the boys had resented… him for his many fiancées and martial arts prowess, and… she hadn't ever really seen Hirota pick on anyone else. Maybe it had just been bad blood between them. She decided to give him another chance to show what kind of person he really was. Their eyes met, and they both looked away, embarrassed.

Her eyes found Hiroshi's, and she held her breath. But Hiroshi winked at her and smiled, and she relaxed, a smile slowly spreading over her own face. She winked back, and he gave her a thumbs up. They both laughed, and Ranko felt relief wash over her.

The teacher cleared her throat, and the chattering ended. "Good afternoon, class. My name is Kobayakawa Yuriko. I'm the new music teacher, and I hope we'll all get a chance to enjoy some good music together this term." She smiled. "In this class, we'll be both listening to and discussing music, and trying our hands at playing some." She waved her arm around the room; there was a piano, a clarinet, a violin, and several other instruments. Ranko eyed them doubtfully.

She started to relax after Kobayakawa-sensei had them all introduce themselves, then launched into her first lecture. She would play a composition, either popular or classical, and then discuss the structure of it, how it was put together, and what musical techniques were used to produce it. Ranko found herself fascinated.

She grew apprehensive about halfway through the class, when Sensei announced that they were now going to try out various instruments. Each student had a few minutes with each instrument, and Sensei evaluated how they did, trying to discover anyone with aptitude.

Ranko found that she simply could not deal with the piano; her hands were too small, and she couldn't reach to make the chords which Sensei showed her. When she tried the clarinet, all that came out was a faint, hollow whistle.

_Maybe… maybe I don't really have the talent to play an instrument_, she thought. At the end of the period, Sensei had Ranko try the violin. She held it under her chin, and drew the bow across it, yielding… a raucous screech. She sighed and her head drooped.

Kobayakawa-sensei's gaze softened. "Don't give up, Ranko-chan." She was a bit less formal than the other teachers at Fuurinkan, and called students by their first names. "Everyone does that the first time. You have good arms and fingers for this. Try to keep the bow on just one string, and draw it across with only a little bit of pressure. It may take you days just to hit a good note."

Ranko nodded, and concentrated. She thought of the Kachuu Tenshin Amaguriken, and the delicacy of control that had required. She tuned her senses, closed her eyes, and once more drew the bow across the violin.

She was startled when a pure, beautiful note echoed from inside the instrument, and seemed to cause something to resonate within her. She looked up, a surprised smile on her face. "Did I… did I do it right that time?"

Kobayakawa-sensei looked a little shocked herself. For a beginner to hit a note that clearly was nearly unheard of. Usually it took weeks of practice. "Yes, Ranko-chan, that was excellent." The bell rang. "Would you… would you mind coming here again after school is out, just for a few minutes? I would like to evaluate you a little more."

Ranko nodded, surprised. "Of… of course, Sensei." Sayuri, Hiroshi, and Hirota all looked on in surprise as well.

As they walked to PE, Sayuri nudged Ranko. "See? You just have to try. You may be surprised at what you find inside of yourself."

Ranko shook her head. "One note doesn't mean I have a talent for it, Sayuri-chan."

Sayuri smiled. "Sensei seemed to think you were worth looking at. Don't sell yourself so short, Ranko-chan."

Hiroshi nudged her. "Right, pal. As a former boy, you have standards to uphold." They all laughed.

Ranko thought about the odd feeling the violin had evoked in her, and grew silent. She didn't notice Hirota watching her as he trailed them by a few paces.

After PE, she came again to the music room with her briefcase in hand, her hair still damp from the shower. She had told Akane not to wait for her.

Kobayakawa-sensei smiled. "Hello, Ranko-chan. Thank you for coming back. If you don't mind, I would like you to try a few more things on the violin. All right?" Ranko nodded.

"Can you read music?" Ranko shook her head. "All right, then, let me show you the notes. Try to memorize them, it's important." Ranko watched as Sensei demonstrated the notes on the violin, showing how it was important to only touch the bow to the strings you wanted, how to finger the strings, and so on.

"Now you try it, all right? Try the scale I just showed you."

Ranko placed the violin under her chin, and closed her eyes again. Once more, she focused herself on the violin and the bow she held, forgetting everything else. It was just like an intricate kata in the Art. She tried to copy what Sensei had shown her.

Sensei gasped as Ranko executed a flawless scale, the tones pure and sweet. Ranko opened her eyes, and smiled a dreamy smile. That… that had touched something inside her, as before. There had been a direct connection between the violin and her emotions. She felt strangely moved.

Sensei took several moments to find her voice. "Ranko-chan, could you… could you do that again?"

Ranko nodded, and with more confidence put the violin back to her chin. Her feelings seemed to radiate into her arm and hand as she played the scale again.

Sensei was astounded. "Ranko-chan, have you ever played a violin before today?"

Ranko was confused. "No, Sensei. Why?"

Sensei shook her head. "For someone who has never picked up a violin before, you did very well. When you played that scale a second time, I… I felt some of your emotion coming through. You put feeling into a simple scale." She shook her head again. "I have seen students struggle for years and never achieve the control you have."

It was Ranko's turn to shake her head. "But… I'm just a fast learner. It's just technique, and I'm good at picking things like that up. Besides, I'm a martial artist, and I can control my movements very carefully."

Sensei shook her head again. "It's not just technique, Ranko-chan. I heard soul in that. That's a very rare, very precious gift." She looked closely at Ranko. "I think you may well be gifted at this, Ranko-chan. I'd like to keep working with you, to evaluate your potential. Would you mind spending an hour with me every Friday, after school? Just for the next few weeks?"

Ranko looked doubtful. "You… you really think I might have a gift for this?" Sensei nodded. "All… all right."

Half an hour later, Kobayakawa-sensei leaned on the sill and watched out the window as the redhead walked across the schoolyard and out the gates. She had had Ranko play more scales, even very simple pieces. She was sure that Ranko had a talent for the violin. She resolved to call Murata-sensei when he returned from his overseas trip.

Ranko walked slowly home. A cool breeze hinted that fall was not too far off, and the sky was a clear, deep blue, but all this escaped her notice; she was deep in thought.

She had known she liked music, but… gifted? She actually had a talent for something _besides_ martial arts? Something else she might be able to excel at? Could she become a violinist? The thought caused a pleasant feeling to radiate through her. And… what about the Art? Could she practice that and still pursue the violin? What did she want to do? She shook her head, and wondered. Doors had closed in her life, but new doors had opened; so many, she didn't know which way to go.

She almost didn't see the descending shadow cast by the late afternoon sun. She suddenly dodged, and a spiked club struck the sidewalk where she had stood an instant ago. She didn't need the insane laugh to know who she would face when she turned around.

"Hohoho, you redheaded hussy! Stand still and let me deal you what you deserve." Kodachi's face twisted in anger. "You should die for what you have done to my Ranma-sama! I heard it all from my dear brother."

Ranko was nonplussed. "What… what did I do to him? He… he's gone… He was… my brother…"

Kodachi shook her head. "I can't believe that my sweet Ranma-sama was related to a harridan like you. You drove him to his death!"

Ranko shook her head, though she knew there was no use arguing with a madwoman. And the scary part was… she was right. Ranko _was_ responsible for Ranma's "death".

Kodachi shouted "Enough chatter! Now I will deal with you once and for all, peasant!" She attacked.

Ranko dodged, trying desperately to keep her uniform clean. It was all she could do to avoid the clubs, razor hoops, and whips. When she had been at her top form, it was a snap, but now, trying to dodge and not damage her uniform, it was barely within her capacity. And she knew she would start to tire soon. Either she would ruin her uniform, or she would be hurt.

She had just barely dodged a razor hoop when Kodachi was broadsided by a bonbori-wielding Shampoo. The crazed gymnast sat dazed on the sidewalk, rubbing her head where it had been struck. Shampoo stood between Kodachi and Ranko and fumed.

"Crazy girl leave Ranko alone! Ranma's death no… not her fault!" She growled. "Crazy… You want Ranko, must go through Sham… me, first!"

Ranko watched in amazement. Two incredible things had happened: Shampoo was protecting her, and was apparently finally starting to learn proper Japanese.

Kodachi got to her feet, glaring. "You haven't seen the last of me, harridan!" She turned and bounded away over the rooftops, her insane laughter trailing behind her. They watched until the echoes died.

Ranko turned to Shampoo. "Shampoo… thank you." She ran over and, without warning, threw her arms around the Chinese girl.

Shampoo was amazed, but overcame her surprise, and hugged Ranko back. This was the first time _she_ had ever been on the receiving end. They separated and smiled at each other. "Ran… You are welcome."

"How did you know?"

"Shampoo… I hear you tell Akane, you walk home by self." Her expression hardened. "I no think that good idea. You have many enemy, very powerful. You need you friends."

Ranko nodded thoughtfully. She looked at Shampoo, and cocked her head sideways, grinning. "Someone seems to be working on her Japanese…"

Shampoo blushed, and nodded. "I guess school good idea after all, ne?" They both laughed.

* * *

Akane was watching TV from the sofa, and waiting anxiously for her sister to get home. She wanted to find out what had happened at Ranko's private meeting with the music teacher.

She was just looking at the clock for what seemed like the hundredth time, when her sister came in, followed by Shampoo. She blinked. "Hi, Shampoo. What brings you here?"

Shampoo and Ranko looked at each other. "Kodachi attacked me on the way home. I was getting tired when Shampoo came in and clobbered her with a bonbori."

Akane looked shocked. "Oh, Sis, I… I shouldn't have let you go alone. I'm so sorry. Shampoo, thank you."

Shampoo smiled. "I no mind. If you can no go with Ranko, call me, call Mousse, we come, OK?" Akane nodded. Shampoo turned and left.

Ranko plopped down on the sofa, looking miserable. Akane scooted over and put an arm around her. "What's wrong?"

Ranko's face burned with shame. "Look at me. I can't even defend myself any more. I need you and Shampoo to look after me. I feel so humiliated. I… I didn't know being a girl would make me dependent like this…"

Akane tried to keep her temper in check. "Sis, Shampoo and I are girls, too, you know. And you can still defend yourself; you should know that no mugger or molester would last ten seconds against you. It's just that you don't spend all your time on it any more. Kodachi does; she's mad, and she does nothing but practice her gymnastics and concoct her poisons. When you spent hours a day training, you could deal with her easily. Do you want to go back to spending hours a day on it?"

Ranko shook her head slowly. She seemed to be considering Akane's words. "Maybe… I guess… if I hadn't been so busy trying to keep my dress clean… I probably could have…"

Akane tightened her embrace a little. "There, you see? Yes, there are a few opponents who you used to be able to defeat easily, but maybe can't any more. If you don't want to pay the price, then what's wrong with getting some help from your friends? It's not because you're a girl, Sis—well, except for the dress part. It's because you are opening up, trying new things." Akane thought. "So tell me more about your violin lesson today."

Ranko tried to collect herself and sit up straight. "Well, Kobayakawa-sensei had me try different things out." She smiled, Kodachi fading from her attention. "She had me play some scales, some simple pieces. I… I like it. A lot." Her smile turned a little dreamy.

Akane smiled back. "Really? What else did she say?"

Ranko blushed. "She… she told me she thought I might… might have a gift for the violin. She wants me to spend an hour after school with her every Friday for a few weeks, to evaluate me."

Akane hugged Ranko fiercely. "I'm so happy for you, Sis!" Ranko hugged her back, her spirits restored.

* * *

Days passed, and life at Fuurinkan settled into a routine once more, as the novelty of Ranko's change faded. Unlike last term, Ranko was surrounded by friends, and school started to hold more appeal for her. More and more, she was paying attention in class. Soon, it was Friday again, and Kobayakawa-sensei had a surprise for her.

"A… a violin? For me?"

Sensei nodded. "I'd like to loan this to you, if you are willing to practice at home. Do you want to learn badly enough to spend, say, twenty minutes a day practicing?"

Ranko thought. She spent more time than that on her martial arts, and she felt excited about the part of herself she was discovering through the violin. Like a hidden city uncovered by the American film hero Indiana Jones, she had never known it was there. She smiled. "Yes, Sensei, I… I'd like to learn more violin. I don't know where I want to go with it yet, but I'm really enjoying it."

Sensei beamed. "Bring it with you on Fridays, for class, OK?" Ranko nodded.

When Ranko left that day, she had some music books, and her borrowed violin in a case. She had another surprise waiting for her when she got home.

"Mother!" Mother and daughter rushed to embrace each other in the entrance hall. Ranko was beaming. "What's the occasion?"

Nodoka laughed. "Do I need a special occasion to see my daughter?" Ranko giggled, and shook her head. They headed for the living room.

Nodoka noticed the items Ranko was carrying. "What's all this, dear? It looks like a violin."

Ranko nodded. "It is. My music sensei wants me to practice at home. She says she thinks I… I have some talent for it." She blushed.

Nodoka smiled. "That's wonderful! I would love to hear you play!" Ranko was aghast when the Tendou sisters all piped up and demanded the same.

"But… but I just started! I can't play that well yet!"

Nodoka hugged her daughter again. "I don't care, dear. I just want to hear this, if it's something so special to you; I want to share it."

Ranko nodded, uncertainly. "O-OK. Let me… let me take off my uniform, first."

She came back down a short while later, wearing a green blouse and jeans. She had her violin and her bow. "I don't have a music stand, but I think I can play a few things from memory."

Nodoka and the Tendou sisters assembled in the living room. Ranko looked around at her family's attentive faces. "Gosh, I guess this is my first concert." She giggled nervously.

Nabiki spoke up. "Don't worry, Ranko, these critics will go easy on you." Everyone laughed.

She tried once more to put herself in the same frame of mind she had when practicing a kata. She brought the violin to her chin, raised the bow, and shut out the world. Her universe was her and her violin. She played a few scales to warm up, then two of the simple practice pieces she had learned. Once again, she felt joined to the music, just as she felt joined to the Art when she practiced that.

After a minute or two, she was done, and lowered her instrument. She looked nervously at her family.

Kasumi, Akane, and her mother smiled and clapped. "That was very good, dear! Your sensei is right, you do have talent." Nodoka was beaming.

Nabiki was too stunned to say anything at first. She had a taste for the finer things in life, and she knew them when she saw them. Ranko was a beginner, and yet clearly had a gift. She could probably play professionally, if she wanted to, and spent a few years becoming proficient. She wondered what other facets of her little sister's personality were waiting to blossom, now that she was free to be herself. She shook herself, and clapped as well.

Ranko was blushing from the attention. "Sensei loaned me this violin so I could practice at home. I'm supposed to practice for twenty minutes every day."

"Well, we'll just have to go out and get you that music stand this weekend, won't we?" Kasumi nodded in agreement with Nodoka, as Ranko continued to blush.

* * *

End Chapter 7

Sunday, September 10, 2000

**Copyright Notice**

The characters and stories of Ranma ½ are Copyright © Rumiko Takahashi, and are used here without permission or license.

No claims to the above copyright are made by the author of this work.

This work is for non-commercial use ONLY, and is produced for the enjoyment of fans only.

This work is the expression of the author and the depiction of the Ranma ½ characters herein are in no way represented to be a part of Ranma ½ as depicted by the original author and copyright holder(s).


	8. Chapter 8: Who Is This Girl?

Genma's Daughter

By ClassicalGal

Original concept and parts of chapter 1 by Nesin Evets

Chapter 8: Who Is This Girl?

* * *

A few days after Ranko brought home her violin, Kasumi, Akane, and Nabiki noticed that she was dragging a bit, and picking at her breakfast. She seemed very moody.

Kasumi asked, "Ranko-chan, is something wrong?"

"Nothing!" snapped Ranko; she looked down at her food, and sighed. "I… I'm sorry, Oneechan. Ever since I got up this morning, I… I just feel edgy, and… and I feel a little funny, like I have indigestion or I ate too much. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you." She offered a sheepish smile.

The Tendou sisters looked at each other. Kasumi said gently, "Ranko-chan… I think this is probably… what your mother told you about that first night after school."

Ranko's head jerked up. "You… you mean…"

Kasumi nodded. "You can get moody or emotional for a few days before it starts, and your symptoms definitely sound right." Ranko nodded, and looked a little frightened. "Don't forget to… be prepared." Ranko nodded again. "Don't worry, in a few days it will be over."

On the way to school a couple of days later, Ranko was looking morose. She turned to Akane. "Akane, how on Earth do you put up with this? It's… it's… gross."

Akane sighed and nodded. "You just get used to it, I guess. After a few years, it just becomes part of life." She smiled. "I remember, before I started, I used to think it was such a special thing, such a mystery. My girlfriends and I were all jealous of girls who had started already." She laughed. "What a rude awakening! I guess the old saying is true: be careful what you wish for!" They both laughed.

Ranko's good humor died when they walked through the front gate; Kunou was waiting for them again. "Oh, my beauteous Ranko, fair Akane, let me console you for your grievous loss!" He rushed forward to embrace them.

A few seconds later, as they were stepping over his unconscious body, Ranko said, "I think I liked it better when he attacked me with the bokken." Akane giggled.

Unfortunately, Kunou seemed determined that day. He pestered them at lunch, he pestered them in the hallways. And right in the middle of her first period, too! This was the last thing she needed right now. Ranko was fit to be tied by the time school was over.

As she and Akane were heading out the door, Hirota walked up to them. Ranko tensed, but he didn't look angry or belligerent; in fact, he looked contrite. "Ranko-san, I was wonderin'… if I could have a word with you?"

Ranko looked at Akane. "I'll wait by the gates, OK?" Ranko nodded.

As Akane walked off, she turned to Hirota. "Yes, Hirota-kun? What is it?"

Hirota swallowed nervously. "I… I just wanted to, y'know, sorta apologize for… for all the mean things I said and did to you, you know, before." He looked down. "I… it was wrong, really wrong. I never did anythin' that mean to someone else before, and I feel really bad. I was just kinda… well, jealous, I guess, of how lucky you were with the girls." He laughed, and put a hand behind his head, embarrassed. "I feel kinda dumb, now!"

Ranko smiled. "Th-that's OK, Hirota-kun. I… I think it's very big of you to apologize like this. Thank you." She blushed. "I… I'm sorry I teased you the other day."

Hirota nodded. "Anyway, I was thinkin', y'know, we… we kinda started off on the wrong foot, and… and I was wonderin'… if, like, maybe, you… you wanted to… like, go have some… some coffee and talk about it?" He looked at Ranko hopefully.

Ranko's jaw fell open. He… he was asking her for a date! "You… you…" she trailed off. At that moment, she was intensely aware of what was going on with her body right now.

Hirota's face fell. "It's… never mind." He turned to go.

Something made her speak. "Wait! Hirota-kun…" He turned back, a questioning look on his face.

She swallowed. "I… give me a few days to think about it, OK?" She managed a small, frightened smile. "I… I'm flattered, really."

A smile slowly crept onto his face, and he nodded. "OK." He turned and walked away.

Ranko walked slowly over to where Akane was waiting at the gates. "He asked you for a date, didn't he?"

Ranko nodded. "Y-yes."

"How do you feel about that?"

Ranko bit her lip, and tears started to gather in her eyes. "I don't know, to be honest. He was really cruel to me before, but he did apologize sincerely, and… and I just don't know what to feel. I… I'm not sure I want to go out with him with our history. I… I'm not sure I want to go out with anyone, yet! And with Kunou hitting on us all day, and I'm right in the middle of my p-period, and… I'm just overloaded. I didn't want to think about it, so I asked him to wait a few days." Tears were streaming down her face. "I don't think I can deal with anything else today."

Akane put an arm around her. "Come on, Sis. Let's just take you home, where you can relax." Ranko nodded.

As they walked up the path to the front door, Ranko felt her tension start to ease. She'd take a nice hot bath, practice her violin, take it easy, and regain her equilibrium. They slid open the door and called out "Tadaima!"

No one answered.

Akane and Ranko looked at each other. "They must be out." They didn't notice the extra shoes in the genkan.

As they turned the corner into the living room, Kasumi and Nabiki were there looking at them, and so were Souun and…

Ranko gasped. "F-father?" Genma was staring at her too, his eyes wide. Souun looked like he was about to take root and sprout leaves.

_Oh, Kami-sama, when it rains, it pours_, thought Akane.

Ranko unceremoniously dropped her briefcase on the floor, where it landed with a thud. "Father…" Suddenly, she dashed forward and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly, her eyes closed and a quiet smile on her face. "Oh, Father, where have you been? I've been so worried about you! I'm so glad you're all right."

Souun's jaw would have hit the floor if it wasn't attached. Genma stared down in disbelief at the girl who was hugging him. "Ran… Ranma?"

Ranko let go of him and stared up into his face, confused. "'Ranma'?" she echoed, a blank look on her face. Slowly, her expression turned to fury. "You… you son of a bitch!" She reached back and slapped him resoundingly across the face.

_Hoo boy_, thought Nabiki.

* * *

There was a grim tableau in the Tendou living room. Genma and Souun were still deep in shock, staring at Ranko. Akane was glaring daggers at them, and had her arms around her sister, who was sobbing long, drawn-out sobs. They sat on the sofa, opposite their fathers. Kasumi looked on, worried, and Nabiki regarded the whole scene impassively, as always. There might have been a harder edge in her gaze when she looked at Ranko's father.

Ranko choked out her words between sobs. "I… I th-thought you luh… loved meee. H-How could you have luh… lied to me l-like that? H-How could you have duh… done all those things? You took me from muh… Mother, you turned me into a buh… boy…" She lost the ability to speak.

Genma wanted to speak, but couldn't. What had happened to Ranma, his strong, manly son? How… how could he possibly be this girl? Well, OK, but that was a dozen years ago! Memories floated up from twelve years before, painful memories. He swallowed.

Souun spoke for him. "What… what on Earth happened? We've been gone less than two months. Ranma was a boy when we left. How is this possible?"

Ranko looked up, fury in her eyes. They wondered at her neatly styled hair, her pierced ears. "I _wasn't_ a boy! And my name is Ranko! You two should know that, more than anyone!" Her face slowly screwed up in pain, and she started sobbing again.

Akane gently rubbed her sister's back and spoke, ice-cold fury in her voice. "What you _didn't_ know, Daddy, is that Ranko has hated being a boy, all along. It made her miserable. You should have been here to see how happy she's been since she stopped trying to be one." Her voice took on a withering tone. "Once _he_ stopped forcing her to be one!"

Souun was in shock all over again. "Wh-what?…" he asked. He turned to Genma, only to find a horribly guilty look on his face. "You… you knew?" Genma nodded.

Kasumi shook her head. "Uncle Saotome, in Kami-sama's name, why did you push her that way?"

Genma managed to speak. "After… after what had happened… I thought it was for the best."

Ranko's anger exploded. "For the _best_?" she shouted. "After what _happened_? What happened happened because of _you_! If you hadn't taken me to Jusenkyou by mistake, I'd still be a… a boy!"

Genma hung his head in shame. "I know. It… it wasn't a mistake…" he whispered.

It was Ranko and Akane's turn to be shocked; Ranko was so startled she forgot she was crying. Even Nabiki sat up in shock, for once her emotions on full display.

Akane found her voice first. "What… what did you say?"

Genma looked up. "I said, it wasn't a mistake. I took her… him to Jusenkyou on purpose." He grimaced. "It was the first thing I could find to undo what… I had done. It took me twelve years to find something."

Ranko felt light-headed; this was the last thing she had expected from her father. "But… but… all those years… you told me being a boy was hard, that I should be manly, that women were weak and stupid and silly. If… if you wanted me to be a girl again, why did you do that?"

Genma looked grim. "I had no idea if I would ever be able to help you become a girl again. I wanted you to be able to live as a man, since it looked like that was what you were going to be for the rest of your life. You needed focus and discipline to be able to deal with it. I gave you that. I… I was surprised. You finally seemed to be coping, making a life for yourself." He hung his head again and whispered, "I guess you just stopped talking about it."

Nabiki spoke. "Why should we believe you? What proof do you have that you took Ranko to Jusenkyou on purpose?"

Ranko started, then dug in her purse. Wordlessly, she handed the Japanese Jusenkyou brochure to Akane, whose eyes widened.

Genma nodded. "I finally heard about the place. I didn't know if it would work against Happousai's magic, but I wanted to try."

"Why didn't you tell me then, after I fell in the Nyanniichuan? Why didn't you tell me before, for that matter?"

Genma sighed. "You were so adamant about your manhood. I didn't know whether to believe you or not, and I thought you might not like the idea. Why do you think I interrupted the Guide every time he tried to tell us about the springs? When you came out of the Nyanniichuan so angry, I thought it was too late for you to change back, that I had just made your life even worse. That's when Tendou and I put Plan B into effect."

Stares abounded. "'Plan B'?"

Souun nodded. "We knew how close Akane and Ranko had been, so we thought we would make it up to them by… engaging them."

Akane and Ranko both put their heads in their hands. "I… I don't believe this…"

Ranko looked up, accusing. "Why should I believe you? You were the one who wanted me to be a boy in the first place!"

Genma winced. "Not exactly."

Akane and Ranko looked at each other. Ranko turned back to her father. "What? Then why…?"

Souun and Genma exchanged guilty glances. "Well, we were out drinking one night…"

* * *

"Bartender! Another sake!"

Souun and Genma clinked their glasses. "To our children!"

"Ah, Saotome, we are truly blessed. My three daughters are wonderful."

"Indeed, Tendou. Our Ranko is a joy to us."

"And she and Akane are such friends. The family ties will continue into the next generation. Kanpai!" They clinked and drank again. They were starting to get a little unsteady.

"You know, Saotome, our joy would be complete if we only had sons to carry on the Art, the family line."

"You're right, Tendou. But we have tried, and failed. Nodoka cannot have another child, and your wife is not well."

"A shame."

"Indeed." They both grew morose.

"Bartender! Another sake!"

A half hour later, they were very, very unsteady. "Oh, Saotome, if… if only we could be granted a magic wish, to have the sons we want." He squinted at his sake cup, as if trying to divine the answer there.

Genma weaved uncertainly as he waved his cup, looking not unlike a snake charmer. "Perhaps… perhaps the Master… knows a way."

Fear came over Souun's face. "The Master? Is… is that wise?"

Genma tried to look stern, but only managed to look inebriated. "Do you want a son, Tendou? It may be the only way!"

Souun nodded firmly. "You are right, Saotome."

Some hours later, they had managed to find their way—with some difficulty—to the cave where the Master was incarcerated. They laboriously pushed aside the boulders blocking the entrance, falling over in a heap in the process.

A second later, Happousai rapped them both on the head with his pipe, and was perched on Genma's head. "You boys have been very, very naughty. It's about time; it was quite damp in there."

They prostrated themselves, with little difficulty since they were already lying on the ground. "Oh… oh Master! Forgive us!"

He sighed. Pathetic, as usual. And did they smell of sake… phew. Worse, they hadn't brought any for him! "Oh, I suppose. Are you ready to resume your training?"

"Forgive us, Master. We have families now, and cannot leave them."

He nodded. "I see. I assume you didn't come to let me out from the goodness of your hearts?"

They looked at each other. "Well, Master, we… we were hoping you could help us with a problem."

He sighed. "Oh?"

"We have only daughters, Master. We… we have no sons to carry on the family lines."

Happousai licked his lips. "Did… did you say daughters?"

Souun nodded. "Yes, I have three, and Saotome has one." He wept. "And we cannot have any more children!"

Happousai was still focused on one thing. "How… how old are they?"

Genma had to think a while; thinking was somewhat difficult at the moment. "The… the oldest is… seven, I think."

Happousai's face fell. "Rats. Oh well, have to come back in a few years. Anyway, how do you think I can help?"

Souun looked up. "We… we thought that maybe… you knew some magic that could give us the sons we want!"

Happousai thought. "Well, I do know one little trick, but I'm not sure you're going to like it… I know I sure don't." He stuck his tongue out. "What a waste…"

Genma and Souun weren't attending very well. "Oh, thank you, Master, thank you! We knew you could help us!" They sobbed on him in gratitude.

Happousai brushed them off. "Yes, yes… Well, if you _really_ want to do this, you must each bring me one of your daughters."

This almost penetrated the drunken haze the two were swimming in. Almost. "Our… our daughters?"

Happousai nodded in irritation. "Yes, your daughters! Do you want a son or not?"

That was enough. "Oh yes, Master, right away!"

* * *

Tendou Kirara couldn't sleep. This "condition" her doctors refused to discuss with her sometimes kept her up at night. She was trying to read a book and relax, when she heard a noise coming from down the hall. It… it sounded like a window being opened! Oh, where was that fool husband of hers when she needed him?

She gulped, and hoped she remembered enough of the martial arts her husband had tried to teach her to cope with a simple burglar. She crept down the hall, and stopped. The noises were coming from Akane's room! Her baby!

She slowly twisted the knob and pulled the door open the tiniest bit, then peeked in. Then she yanked it open the rest of the way and turned the light on. "Dear! What on _Earth_ are you doing in here?"

Souun was holding the sleeping Akane in his arms, and was weaving to and fro. The window was open, and he had clearly come in that way. "I… I need to take her to… the Master."

Kirara showed the temper that Akane had inherited. "The Master? Are you insane? Don't you dare take my baby to that perverted gnome! Why in Kami-sama's name would you do that?"

Souun looked down at the little girl sleeping in his arms, and his head seemed to clear a bit. "Maybe… maybe you're right." He gently laid her back in her futon, leaned over to kiss her, and promptly fell on top of her as he passed out. Akane started to cry.

Kirara rolled her eyes. "Men…"

* * *

The next morning, Genma woke slowly. His head was throbbing, and from the taste, he was sleeping face down in the dirt. He spit it out and tried to open his eyes. Morning light flooded in; that was a mistake. He snapped them shut again.

After a few minutes, he groaned, and sat up, slowly opening his eyes. He hadn't been that drunk in a long, long time. What was he doing out here, anyway? Suddenly, his heart nearly stopped. Ranko! Where was she? How could he have been stupid enough to take her out at night when he was drunk? He looked around. She… she wasn't anywhere to be seen! Nearby there was a small boy sleeping, but where was his daughter? He got up in a panic and started to search, then stopped. Blurry memories from last night resurfaced, and he whipped around to look at the boy…

The black-haired boy who was the spitting image of Ranko. He slept fitfully, and his face showed that he had been crying, hard. He squirmed and moaned in his sleep. Genma sank to his knees. He looked around; the Master was nowhere in sight.

"Oh… Kami-sama… Ranko… I…" His baby girl… what had he done?

Nodoka. Her katana. Nodoka would… would… Genma's heart felt like it turned to stone. He knew in that moment that he and his… son could never go home again.

* * *

Genma looked up from recounting his tale. All of the daughters were staring at him, except Akane, who was staring at her father. "D-daddy? Are you saying… that if… if Mother hadn't been awake that night?…"

Souun nodded in shame. Akane's eyes rolled up, and she fell over against Ranko in a dead faint. Ranko put her arms around her.

Nabiki tried hard not to laugh. How typical of these two, to have it all be a huge bungle. She looked at the brochure, which had made its way to her. "Why did you circle both springs, Uncle?"

Genma shook his head. "I knew I couldn't knock him into the one I wanted if I didn't distract him. That one was right next to the Nyanniichuan; it was perfect."

Ranko's jaw fell. "You… you fell in the Shonmaoniichuan on purpose? You… you became cursed in order to try to help me?"

Genma nodded.

It was a good thing Ranko was holding the unconscious Akane, as she served as support when Ranko fainted, too.

* * *

While Kasumi was ministering to Ranko and Akane, Genma took his pack upstairs to put it away. He slid the door open…

Slowly, he looked around. The pastel walls, the lacy curtains. Stuffed animals and dolls on the bed, including one doll he remembered from his daughter's childhood. A vanity, a makeup kit. A hanger on the closet door, waiting for a uniform.

He opened the closet, and looked at the array of dresses, skirts, blouses and slacks. He closed the closet, pulled open a dresser drawer at random, took a look inside, then slammed it shut, his face red. On top of the dresser, a photo of their family in happier times. He looked at the desk; there was a notebook. On it was a tiny picture, a sticker: Ranko, Akane, and two of Akane's friends, all crowded into a photo booth and wearing goofy smiles.

He looked around again, and spotted the music stand in the corner. He walked over, noted the violin case sitting next to it, the music books. She was taking violin? He shook his head.

He walked over and sat on the bed, snorting when he saw the stuffed panda. He looked around the room once more. No, he wouldn't be sleeping in here any more.

He had told himself for years that he would do anything to get his daughter back, even as he tried to make his son a man, so he could survive and deal with the situation Genma had put him in. Now, it looked like his daughter _was_ back… except, he didn't know this girl, and the son he had loved and reared was gone. He had grown used to having a son… He felt guilty, knowing he had no right to have a son, but he couldn't help the way he felt. He put his head in his hands.

Moments later the door slid open, and he looked up. His daughter was standing there, arms folded, looking him over. She still wore her Fuurinkan uniform. Once again, he looked over this girl: the styled, unbound hair, the pierced ears, the girl's uniform. He had seen this body a hundred times, but not the person who wore it now. And yet, this girl was his child, the same person who was that boy he had raised. He just didn't understand this at all.

She walked in, closed the door, and leaned back against it, her hands behind her back. "I came up to change."

Genma nodded, and started to get up. "That's OK. It… it can wait a minute." He sat back down.

She looked around the room. "It's pretty different, isn't it?"

He nodded. What else could he do? "Yes." He wondered if he should say it, then went ahead anyway. "So… so are you."

She nodded, a neutral expression on her face. "Yes. I… I'm not Ranma any more, Father. I'm me." She lost a bit of control, and a tear escaped. "I never knew how wonderful it could be just to say those words: I'm me." She took a deep breath. "And I had to go through a lot of changes to be able to say them."

Genma shook his head. "I… I know you're the same person, but… I just don't understand. What happened?"

She laughed humorlessly. "All I did was stop pretending to be a boy and start acting the way my feelings told me to, Father." She shook her head. "It may sound easy, but letting go of being Ranma was one of the hardest things I've ever done, the hardest battle I ever fought. You did a good job drilling all that stuff into me. You know, about how girls were weak, stupid, silly, an obstacle to the Art? Remember all that?" She was glaring. "Do you know how all that… garbage made me feel about myself, when I felt like a girl inside?"

He looked down. "I… I thought it would help you feel good about being a boy. I thought if you believed being a girl was worse, then maybe… it wouldn't bother you so much."

She was still glaring. "Well, it didn't help. And when I arrived here, and spewed all that back at my dearest friend, my sister, she nearly killed me! And you had the nerve to engage us to each other on top of that! When we were both girls!"

Genma looked surprised. "But… I thought… you were a boy… wouldn't you?…"

Ranko nodded. "Yes, I was a boy. But I was still me inside, and I sure knew there was something about that engagement I didn't like. Besides, by that time, I was already spending time in my girl form. That made the engagement even worse! I was so confused." She sighed.

Genma closed his eyes. "I'm sorry. I ruined your life, and then I kept making it worse."

Her gaze softened. "Father, I…"

"I don't even have the right to be your father. I've been telling myself all these years how happy I would be if I could get my little girl back. Now you are back, but I feel like you're a stranger, and… and the boy I raised is gone." He sighed. "I miss him."

Ranko stared at her father for a few moments, then shook her head. "Father, in one sense that boy _is_ gone. I… it's a long story, but Happousai's spell and the Jusenkyou curse are both gone. I'm just plain Ranko again. I'll never be a boy again as long as I live. At least not if _I_ have anything to say about it." She paused. "But… in another way, I'm still me. I'm still your child. I haven't forgotten our years together. I'm not Ranma any more, but… I'm still _me_."

He nodded, and once again put his head in his hands. "I… I understand. I think."

He was surprised when he felt slim arms wrap around him. He opened his eyes, and found his daughter sitting next to him on the bed, hugging him as best she could given their relative sizes. She smiled. "So don't you think it's time you started getting to know your daughter?"

Genma felt the beginnings of hope, and nodded.

* * *

After almost two months of neglect, the shogi board was once again in use, as Genma and Souun played a game. Akane was reading a book on the sofa, Nabiki was in an armchair reading one of her business magazines, and Kasumi was in the kitchen making dinner. It almost seemed as if everything were back to normal—which was hardly the case.

Akane could not concentrate, and glared at Genma from behind her book. His explanation of the situation had dissuaded her from killing him, but she still had not forgiven him for the ordeal he had put poor Ranko through. And her own father had almost done the same thing! The revelation earlier still sent chills up her spine.

Nabiki was more forgiving. She had always known that Genma was an irresponsible fool, and frankly, this was just par for the course. Ranko was now in the care of her mother and her de facto sisters; the past was the past. Nabiki was focused on the future: helping her little sister recover from what had happened and build a normal life for herself.

Kasumi, of course, could never think such uncomplimentary thoughts about Uncle Saotome, or anyone. She was simply glad that he and Father had returned, and that he seemed to be trying to reach out to his daughter. She shared Nabiki's focus on setting Ranko's life aright. At the moment, she was focused on her cooking.

Genma wondered how he was going to train his daughter, and whether he could still outrun Nodoka when she was wielding her katana. Being around here now that Nodoka knew was dangerous, but… he couldn't stay away from his child.

He was trying to figure out how best to cheat on his next move when music started emanating from somewhere in the house. He looked around, not noticing as Souun palmed a few pieces. "Could someone turn that radio off? I'm trying to think."

Akane cleared her throat. "That's not a radio, Uncle Saotome. Ranko is practicing her violin."

Genma looked up at the ceiling, jaw agape, as Souun palmed several more pieces. Ranma had never touched a violin when Genma had left. How could he… she play so well now?

Twenty minutes later, Ranko came down, wearing jeans and a cotton top with a bright print. She looked around and smiled at the shogi game. She felt better after practicing. She stretched, tilting her head first one way and then the other. "Ahhh… that felt nice. I feel better." She shook her head. "What a day!" She went over and sat next to Akane on the sofa.

Genma looked up. "Did something else happen today?"

Ranko rolled her eyes. "What didn't happen today? Kunou was hitting on Akane and me all day, a boy who hated me before summer break asked me out on a date, and as if _that_ wasn't enough, I'm…" she stopped suddenly, and exchanged glances with Akane. She wasn't ready to discuss this with her father yet.

Genma continued playing. "You're what?"

"I… I… it's a girl thing."

Genma's eyes widened, but he said nothing. "I trust you taught the boy who asked you out a lesson." When there was no answer, he looked up, to find his daughter glaring at him.

"Why should I, Father? He's a boy, and I'm a girl! He has every right to ask."

"But… you're engaged!"

Ranko couldn't quite believe this. "Father, the engagements are all over. That was the first thing Mother did after we were reunited. I'm a girl, for goodness' sake! Legally, I can't marry any of them. Besides… I don't _want_ to marry another woman."

Genma stuttered. "But… you…"

"Father, do you want grandchildren?"

"What? Of course! But you and Akane…" suddenly he stopped. "Uhhhh…"

"There isn't going to be a 'me and Akane', Father, not that way. If you want grandchildren, I am going to be their _mother_." She paused in wonder; she could actually say it now. "They'll need a father, too, you know. That's how it works." Akane was watching this exchange and trying hard to keep from laughing. Nabiki wasn't bothering to; she was snickering over in the armchair.

Ranko thought his eyes were going to pop out. "You… you… boys…" He couldn't say it.

She nodded. "Yes, Father, I… I do." She shuddered; admitting this was harder than she thought it would be. "I… like boys. That way." He was still staring at her in shock. "Father, I'm a girl! Girls usually like boys! Is there something wrong with that?"

He stared at her for a long time. "Before… did you…"

She shook her head. "I wasn't interested in anyone then. Boys or girls. They both felt wrong. I… I just didn't care."

He nodded. "And… this boy… are you…?"

She sighed. "I haven't decided yet. He wasn't very nice to me earlier. I don't know if I'm going to give him a second chance or not. I… I don't know if I like him that much."

Akane thought, _Ryouga is much more of a gentleman._

Genma's head was spinning as he nodded, then looked back to the shogi board, expecting to find it rearranged after he had been distracted for so long. Fortunately, Souun was distracted too; he had followed the whole exchange in equal disbelief. Genma smiled. Saved!

After playing for a while, he asked "And the Art? Have you kept up your training?"

Ranko cringed; this was going to be ugly. "No."

Genma's head snapped up. "Wh-what? Why not?" He grew angry. "How can you expect to be a great martial artist if you don't practice?"

Ranko glared back. "I don't want to _be_ a great martial artist, Father. Not when the price is devoting my entire life to it. Now that I _have_ a life, I don't need a distraction any more to keep me from noticing I _don't_ have one!"

"So, you've given up? You've turned your back on our family's school?"

Ranko's temper went up like a Roman candle, and she shot to her feet, her hands on her hips. "Our family's school? And who founded that, Father? The pervert who turned me into a boy?" She paused, fuming. "No, I haven't turned my back on it, because I do enjoy it and it's important to me. It's just not my whole life any more. I spar with Akane for an hour every morning. That's it. That is all the time I am willing to put into it, Father." She was starting to cry and practically shouting now. "I want to live my life, not turn it into a monument to the Art! Monuments are for _dead people_!" She spun on her heels and stalked off into the kitchen.

Akane sighed; Uncle Saotome could not have picked a worse day to come home. She heard crying noises coming from the kitchen, and Kasumi murmuring something comforting. She got up to go help.

Genma felt a chill run up his spine. The way she talked, the look in her eyes… she was just like her mother. He hoped she didn't have a katana hidden away somewhere. He heard the crying from the kitchen, and closed his eyes. He… he didn't even know how to talk to her any more. He had no idea how to be the father of a teenage girl. This was what he had wanted, wasn't it? To have his daughter back, to undo the disaster he had caused? He had told himself that, but his son had been there. It had been so easy to get lost in the dream of finally having a son, a son who would follow in his footsteps. But that was the problem, wasn't it? It had been just a dream, and it was time to wake up. He turned his attention back to the board. It had been completely rearranged, and Souun was innocently looking off into the garden. Genma scowled.

A few minutes later, Kasumi called everyone in to dinner. Genma looked over at Ranko, but she was still glaring at him. He took a seat a little further away.

Katana or no, he had looked forward to Kasumi's cooking. He cast his hungry eyes over the dishes; so many! Suddenly his eyes stopped. "Red beans and rice? What's the occasion?" He didn't notice Ranko and Akane looking at each other in shock.

Kasumi beamed. "Today is a very special day! We're celebrating Ranko-chan's menarche."

There was complete and total silence in the dining room. Ranko was beet red, and Akane had an arm around her. Nabiki rolled her eyes. Oneechan definitely continued to surprise her… in many ways. She knew Kasumi was simply thinking of Ranko as if she were any other girl; this was what was traditional, and what Kasumi had done for herself and for Akane. But Ranko was still getting used to the whole idea…

Genma and Souun looked a little pasty. Genma finally found his voice. "M-m-menarche?"

Kasumi looked confused. "Don't you know? Her first period!"

Genma turned white. "Oh. Yes, that's what I thought you meant."

* * *

After dinner, Genma and Souun were back at the shogi board, to finish their game. Kasumi had brought them tea, and they took a sip every now and then as each pondered how to pull a fast one on the other. Normally, it wasn't quite as easy as it had been before dinner, when Ranma… Ranko had been producing revelation after revelation.

Genma had felt guilty ever since accidentally causing Ranko to be transformed into a boy, and he had searched for a cure for years, but he found himself troubled by the actual achievement of his goal. He knew that he had a daughter again, instead of a son, but… he didn't quite know how to deal with it. He had thought that if Ranma became Ranko again, she would be pretty much the same person, just… a girl. But Ranko seemed very different from Ranma.

Akane came down from her room, where she'd gone after dinner to finish a last bit of homework. She looked around. "Where's Ranko?"

Nabiki looked up from her textbook on accounting. "She's in the bath. She said she needed a good long soak after today."

Akane brightened. "That sounds wonderful! I think I'll join her."

Suddenly there was a spitting sound, and Akane turned to see Uncle Saotome wiping tea off his face while giving her father a dirty look.

"Akane! How can you do that?" wailed Souun.

Akane was confused. "Do what?"

"Waaaah! My little girl is taking a bath with her fiancé!"

Akane rolled her eyes. "Daddy, she's not my fiancé! Ranko's mother ended all the engagements!"

Souun thought for a moment. "Oh. You're right. Waaaah! My little girl is taking a bath with a boy!"

Akane was starting to get angry. "Daddy, she's not a boy!"

Souun paused. "Oh. That is true, isn't it?"

"Besides, it's hardly the first time I've bathed with her."

The two men looked at each other. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that we did lots of things together this summer. Auntie took us along to Hakone when she went to meet a classmate, and we used the hot springs. Some other girls came over and sat with us, too. It was good for Ranko, it helped her get used to being around other girls in situations like that. And Auntie also took us to a beach cottage in Ibaraki with Sayuri, Yuka, and Ukyou, and we all slept and changed in the same room. Besides, she's attending school as a girl. She uses the girls' facilities there. So it's not a big deal at all."

Souun nodded his head, stroking his chin, while Genma was trying to get his jaw to close. Somehow, the abstract knowledge that she was a girl didn't quite compare to details like this about her life.

Akane shrugged, and went off to the bath.

Genma swallowed. Ranko was right: he had to try to get to know her again. He had thought he knew who his child was, but…

Ranko was trying hard to relax. This had been one of the most stressful days of her life. She sank a little deeper into the water, trying to get her muscles to loosen up.

Suddenly the door slid open, and Akane was standing there. Ranko sat up straight with a start. They paused and looked at each other for a moment, then laughed.

Ranko shook her head. "Every time you come in like that, I still can't help remembering the first time you walked in on me in the bath."

Akane nodded and smiled. "At least I don't try to brain you any more!" They laughed again.

She went to the stool, sat down, and started washing. "Our fathers are having a bit of trouble adjusting to the new you. I guess I can understand it. We had weeks to get used to it, but they're getting it all at once."

Ranko brooded. "I don't know what to do about Father. It's like we don't understand each other any more. He doesn't know what to do with me, and I… I guess I don't know how to deal with him." She sighed.

Akane rinsed herself off. "You may just have to give it time, Sis. I… sometimes I think I knew you better than he did. All he ever seemed to do was lecture you about martial arts. But I… I always felt that connection with you. Somehow, when this all came out, it… it wasn't really a surprise to me."

She walked over to the bath, and put her hands on her hips in mock indignation. "Are you going to give me some room?" Ranko giggled, and scooted over.

Akane got in. Ohhhhh, did that feel good… she could feel the tension starting to leave her muscles. She sighed and leaned back.

She frowned for a second as she tried to recover her train of thought. "I mean, it was a surprise in one sense, but… somehow, it seemed… I don't know, right." She shook her head. "I don't think your father sees you the same way."

Ranko looked sad. "He told me that he misses his son. It's… it's almost like he doesn't know me. Like I'm someone else to him."

Akane shook her head. "But you're not a completely different person. Your father will understand that eventually."

"I hope so…" said Ranko, and sighed.

* * *

Genma lay on his futon in the Dojo, trying to sleep. He hadn't felt it right to sleep in Ranko's room, and everyone else seemed to agree: no one had so much as mentioned that as an option. Kasumi had apologized, saying they would work out new sleeping arrangements the next day. Probably Happousai's old room, since it was a given the old pervert would never be allowed to stay at the Tendou home again. The Master's ire was nothing compared to that of four very angry young women. He sighed, rolled over on his side, and stared at the "i-ro-ha" sign on the wall.

He was still somewhat in shock. Ever since Ranko had come home from school, it had been driven home time after time that she was no longer Ranma, his son. The way she behaved, the relationship between her and Akane, her activities over the summer, even the expressions on her face. Ranma could never have done the things this girl did. And yet, he knew she _was_ Ranma, was his child, born a girl, raised a boy, and now a girl again. He had always loved her/him, and now he felt a gulf between them. He didn't quite know where to begin crossing that gulf. He sighed.

A tentative knock came at the Dojo door, followed by a soft voice. "Father? May I come in?"

Genma rolled over and sat up. "Sure." He couldn't sleep anyway.

The door slid open, and Ranko turned the lights on. She stood there, wearing light green pajamas with satin trim, her red hair now cascading past her shoulders after growing out all summer. It looked a little unruly; she must have been having trouble sleeping, too.

She walked over to his futon and sat down. "I… I wanted to say I'm sorry for yelling at you that way earlier. You made me angry, but still… I felt bad…" She cast her eyes down.

He nodded. "I guess I was… expecting you to still be Ranma, and… you're not." He paused. "Tell me… I want to hear what happened to you while I was gone. The whole story, from the beginning."

Ranko nodded, and looked off into the distance. "I… well, when Mother was telling me I was her daughter, I… I just couldn't believe her. At first I thought she must be mistaken, that she wasn't my mother after all. But even after she convinced me she was, I thought she must be… you know… crazy or something." She blushed. "I mean, I knew I was a boy until Jusenkyou. I… I had forgotten about being a girl."

She looked pensive for a few moments. "Even though I… I felt like I wanted to be a girl, that I didn't like being a boy, I thought those feelings were wrong, bad,… perverted. You… you taught me to prize my manhood, to hold it up over everything else." She smiled uncertainly. "You taught me well; I fought back against what she was telling me as hard as I could.

"She showed me photographs, she even showed me home video of Akane and I having a tea party with our dolls." She giggled, and memories drifted up from the back of Genma's mind: he had taken that video. "But then… she showed me my room, from when I was a little girl, and there was this photograph of me holding up this big c-cat, and I remembered. I remembered that, and I remembered her constantly telling me not to do that, because it got… hairs all over my dress." She shook her head. "I… I couldn't deny the truth any more. She might be crazy, but… but now I remembered being a girl myself. I couldn't deny that.

"Well, after that, I went to pieces really quickly. I had all these bottled-up feelings inside, about hating being a boy, wanting to be a girl. I could keep them under control when I thought I was a boy, but once I found out I was really a girl, I… I just couldn't do that any more." She bit her lip.

"I… I decided to tell Akane everything. What I was feeling, how I felt about being a boy and being a girl. I had to tell someone, and somehow, I couldn't imagine telling anyone else. Not even Mother." She smiled, her eyes a little wet. "Bless Akane's heart, she showed me that she and Kasumi really are sisters after all. She took me by the hand and never let go. She took me to Cologne and Dr. Toufuu, who showed me that I was lying to myself about how I felt."

She sighed. "I tried holding out for another week, until school was over. But I couldn't look at myself the same way any more. When I saw my female form in the mirror, it stopped being 'my cursed body' and started being 'me', just because I… I knew it _was_ me. I dreamed about being a girl. Finally, the last day of school, the boys in the locker room pulled that stupid stunt they sometimes do, turning cold water on me…" She trailed off, and a look of fear came over her face.

Genma had never worried about Ranma being able to take care of himself, but somehow, this revelation was making him very nervous. "What… what happened?"

She broke out of her distraction, then gave a short laugh. "I… I screamed my head off. This time, they weren't looking at some cursed form, they were looking at _me_." She shivered. "I never felt so violated before in my life."

Genma found himself nodding, saying "Yes? Go on…"

Ranko smiled. "Akane came to the rescue. She came right into the boy's locker room to get me. She took me back to the girl's locker room, and she and Ucchan finally got me to calm down." She shook her head. "That forced me to face the truth: I wasn't going to be able to close Pandora's box. All my female feelings were coming out, and I couldn't stop them.

"Dr. Toufuu had suggested I spend summer break as a girl, and that night I decided to try it. I wore some of the clothes I already had, and Kasumi styled my hair. The next day I went shopping with Mother." She giggled. "I thought we were going to buy out the whole town. I _still_ haven't worn that green formal dress…"

She paused. "Akane and I moved in with Mother for the summer. Mother… being with her again, living at home in my old room, seeing her every day, feeling her love… I… I never realized how much I had missed M-Mother." Suddenly, there were tears in her eyes, and she stopped speaking.

After a while, she wiped her eyes and continued. "She's even teaching me how to cook." She thought for a few moments more. "You know, after that, I never looked back. Cologne locked my curse for me, temporarily, so I wouldn't change. Sayuri and Yuka, Akane's friends from school, managed to find out what had happened, and we spent time with them, and now… now they're my friends, too. We went with them to Harajuku, we went to Hakone and met some new friends from Yokohama there, we went to Ibaraki with Sayuri and Yuka and Ucchan." She laughed. "Ryouga managed to find us there, and after trying to kill me again, he found out what was going on. He calls me 'Ranko-san' now." She smiled. "We even went with Shampoo to Tokyo Disneyland."

His eyes bugged out. "With… Shampoo?"

She nodded. "Yes, Cologne told me the Kiss of Death and the Kiss of Marriage were both nullified, though she wouldn't say why. She's helped me a lot, and Shampoo is attending Fuurinkan now. She's my friend, too." She smiled.

"Anyway, I… I never had such a wonderful time in my life. I have so many friends now, wonderful friends. The whole summer was like a dream, and I didn't want to wake up. Being a girl, spending time with Akane and other girls, I… I don't know why it made such a big difference. I used to think it didn't matter. You know, if you're a boy you're a boy, if you're a girl you're a girl; you just live with whatever you are, and you could be happy either way."

She shook her head. "But that's not true. I learned this summer that I had to be a girl to be really happy. I'm still not sure I understand why, but I know it's true. Dr. Toufuu says it's because I was still a girl inside. Anyway, when the temporary lock on my curse wore off, I discovered I couldn't stand being a boy any more. I hated looking at myself in the mirror that way. And it was a good thing, too. Cologne's magic had messed up Happousai's spell, and within a week all the spells on me had broken. I was just an ordinary, unenchanted, uncursed girl again." Her voice became soft, and he could hear the emotion in it. "And that made me so happy." For a minute, she didn't say anything.

"After… after that, it was time for school. Mother re-registered me as a girl, and I stood in front of my class the first day and told them my whole history. I thought I was going to die, but I was surprised. A few people still didn't believe me, but almost everyone has been wonderful. The girls have almost completely accepted me, and almost all the boys, too. And… and I like school, for the very first time. I like being with my friends, with the other girls." She smiled a dreamy smile. After a few moments, she said "I guess… that's about it."

He nodded. "What about the violin?"

Ranko smiled again. "I decided to take music as an elective this term. During the first class, Sensei had us try out various instruments, and when I tried the violin…" her voice trailed off. "I… I felt something special. I really like playing the violin. It's like it's playing me while I'm playing it." She looked up at him. "You should come by and meet Kobayakawa-sensei some time. I see her Fridays, right after school."

She was silent for a few moments, then laughed. "You know, Father, if you hadn't trained me to be a martial artist, if you hadn't eaten the prize that day in the Amazon village and set Cologne and Shampoo on our trail, I never would have learned the Kachuu Tenshin Amaguriken and all those other techniques. And those are what gave me the skills I need to play the violin." She smiled up at him. "Isn't that funny?" Her smiling face provoked further memories from long ago…

Genma was in a bit of shock. Ever since the incident with Happousai, Ranma had been a tight-lipped child. He responded when spoken to, or when provoked, but he just hadn't talked much. He had kept his feelings to himself, except on the rare occasions when he had confessed how he felt about being a boy. Those had ceased after he passed the age of 10.

Once more, Genma was struck by the difference between Ranma and Ranko. Had all this feeling, all this passion, all this love and friendship, all these smiles and giggles, really been bottled up inside Ranma? He felt even more guilty for what he had done. No, Ranma wasn't gone. Parts of Ranma that he hadn't seen in twelve years were visible again, and they were overshadowing the reticent martial artist and son, the only facet of his child that he had known.

He smiled. He'd have to get to know these parts of his child, the parts he hadn't seen in so long. "I… I think I'm starting to understand, Ranko."

She smiled a happy smile. "I'm glad."

He shook his head. "I… I'm so used to thinking of you as Ranma. It will take me a long time to forget that."

Ranko shook her head. "You don't have to forget Ranma, Father. I… I haven't. I was him, and… he was me, too. Saotome Ranma, man amongst men, was a girl." She giggled, and he nodded thoughtfully.

She got up from her sitting position and kneeled. "We should both probably get to sleep." He nodded, and she began to get up, then hesitated. "Never forget something else, either." She leaned forward on impulse, and kissed him on the cheek. "I love you… Daddy. I always will." She blushed, rose quickly, and walked out, turning out the light and closing the door.

Genma rubbed his cheek. More memories floated up… a four year old face, surrounded by a halo of red hair, kissing him and saying those very same words: "I love you, Daddy." He smiled. Maybe he knew who this girl was, after all.

* * *

Saotome Genma, master of the Saotome School of Anything-Goes Martial Arts, sat on the porch and sulked.

His daughter had informed him that morning that she intended to continue sparring with Akane. She had apologized, saying she would work out something with him this weekend, but her mornings were planned now, and she didn't want to throw her schedule off. He watched as the two girls sparred. He was relieved to see that Ranko hadn't slacked off completely. Something about the way they were sparring bothered him, but he couldn't put a finger on it.

Akane and Ranko both had smiles on their faces, and they talked a bit in between moves. He couldn't quite make it out, but it was about school, about their friends; small talk. He shook his head. Ranma had always been intently focused on his Art.

Suddenly, Ranko took Akane down with a leg sweep. They were both still smiling, and Ranko reached down to help Akane up. Instead, she yanked on Ranko's hand and pulled her down too, the two of them tangled in a heap. They both shrieked with laughter, before getting up and continuing their workout.

Images floated up in Genma's mind, images of two little girls playing together. When he had brought Ranma to the Tendous, he had thought the two would resume their close relationship. It had been a bitter disappointment when they had fought constantly; it was one more thing in his child's life that he had ruined. Now, though, he couldn't watch them without constantly being reminded of their childhood. They seemed as close as they had ever been; maybe closer. Clearly, Ranko being a girl had made all the difference, just as she had said last night.

Akane and Ranko finished and bowed to each other. Ranko walked over to her father, and smiled. "Really, Father, I'll spar with you tomorrow, OK? Today is Friday. Maybe I can redo my schedule for school days, too, for next week." She gave him a wink and put on a stern look. "Don't sulk, it's not manly!" Genma spluttered, and she giggled and ran off to clean up. He shook his head and smiled.

A few minutes later, cleaned up and in their school uniforms, Akane and Ranko came to the breakfast table, and they all sat down to eat. They both had their briefcases, and Ranko had her violin. Once again, he watched as she ate politely and neatly; clearly Nodoka's doing. She and Akane talked about the day's classes, about their friends, and tried to come up with a plan for what to do this weekend.

They finished, and Ranko looked at her watch. "Oh my! I think we're going to have to hurry, Sis!" Genma blinked; obviously, she'd been picking up things from Kasumi, too. They both stood, picking up their school things.

Ranko turned to her father. "Don't forget, Father, please stop by some Friday and meet my violin sensei, OK?" She smiled, and he nodded. They headed for the door, called out "itte kimasu!" and were on their way, "itte 'rasshai" following them out.

They talked as they hurried towards Fuurinkan High. "Ranko, you seem to be getting along better with your father today."

Ranko nodded. "I went and had a long talk with him in the Dojo last night. I… I think he's starting to understand what happened. He's starting to see me as his daughter again." She smiled. "By last night, I… I felt better, too. Not so angry."

Akane smiled. "Usually once it starts, your emotions level off again. It's something to keep in mind when it's that time of month." Ranko nodded.

The gates of Fuurinkan came into view. "I wonder if Father will come to school today…"

As they walked through, Kunou presented himself. They sighed. "My loves, now that you are both unattached, why will you not date with me? Surely there can be no man worthier for both your hands! Come, accept my love!"

Moments later, Ranko turned momentarily to look at Kunou's unconscious body as they proceeded into the school. "You know, I'm getting pretty good at doing that in a dress." She smiled at Akane. "Thanks for the tips!" Akane giggled and nodded.

One of the girls spotted Ranko taking something out of her purse in the restroom that day, and the word spread rapidly among the girls at Fuurinkan. In the locker room after PE, many girls came by and commiserated with her. It was odd, despite the universal agreement about how bothersome it was, she could tell that there was an undercurrent of congratulations and respect. Sayuri had winked at her: "Welcome to the club, for what it's worth." They had both laughed. Ranko felt truly accepted; she shared something with them all that was definitely girls-only. Too bad it had to be _this_…

She dressed, and hurried to the music room for her lesson with Kobayakawa-sensei. She opened the door; Sensei was there waiting for her, but her father was not. She sighed.

Sensei frowned. "What's wrong, Ranko-chan?"

She smiled sadly. "I… I was hoping my father might be here today. I told him about the lessons, and I asked him to come meet you some day, but… I guess he didn't want to come today…"

Sensei smiled. "I'm sure he will eventually." She glanced at the window. "You know, now that you mention it, there was a middle-aged man standing out there a while ago, at the gates. I wonder…"

Ranko had rushed to the window. Sure enough, Father was standing just inside the gates, watching as students passed him by on the way home, looking as if he were unsure whether to come in or not. She turned excitedly to Kobayakawa-sensei. "That's him!"

She opened the window, and was about to yell to him, then stopped. Shampoo and Ucchan were stealthily approaching him from behind, bonbori and spatula at the ready! What… what were they doing? Ranko saw Shampoo preparing to spring. "Father! Look out behind you!"

He turned, in time to dodge Shampoo's first blow, barely. He twisted as Ukyou's spatula whistled through the space where he had been a moment before. She couldn't tell what they were saying to him, but she could tell they were very, very angry and were shouting. Her father was very skilled, but she didn't know how long he could hold up against two martial artists like Shampoo and Ucchan.

Ranko turned to Sensei, who had rushed up to the window next to her. "Sensei, excuse me a moment, I'll be right back!" She leapt out the window, praying she still knew how to land after a jump from the third story. She landed fine, but her face turned bright red as she realized she didn't know how to do this properly in a dress. Thankfully, there hadn't been any boys watching; all the students were watching the fight. Akane seemed to have already gone home.

She charged towards the combatants. "Shampoo! Ucchan!" she yelled. "Stop! Please stop! What are you doing?"

Shampoo turned to see Ranko running full tilt across the cracked asphalt schoolyard, her school dress whipping against her legs. "Good. Ranko coming to help us finish him off."

As Ranko drew closer, however, Shampoo and Ukyou could hear her shouting "Stop! Please! Don't hurt Father! Please!"

They backed off, confused, but still kept a wary eye on Genma to keep him from escaping. Genma was breathing hard; he hadn't been in a battle like that in a while. Ranko dashed up and wrapped her arms around him. "Father! Are… are you all right?"

Several of the girls who had been watching looked at each other. "That's her _father_? The bastard who turned her into a boy?" They grew angry, and murmurs ran through the crowd. Genma swallowed nervously; this could turn ugly.

Ranko turned to Shampoo and Ukyou, a little out of breath. "What… what were you two doing? Why did you attack him?" Her eyes showed her confusion.

Her two friends looked perplexed as well. "Ranchan, after what he did to you… why are you protecting him?"

Shampoo nodded. "Pervert panda hurt you very badly. I cannot forgive. Why you not feel the same?"

Ranko's eyes started to shimmer. "Because… because he's my father, and I love him, that's why. Besides, he… he didn't mean to hurt me. It was all a stupid accident!" She turned around and hugged her father tightly. Slowly, Genma brought his arms up around his daughter, and held her. Years-old feelings stirred within him…

Ukyou and Shampoo looked at each other. "An _accident_? He turned you into a boy by _accident_?" Ukyou folded her arms, and looked skeptical. "Would you mind telling me how _that_ happened?"

Ranko released her father and faced her friends; her eyes might have been a little wet. "He… he and Uncle Tendou got really, really drunk one night, and told Happousai they wanted sons. They meant they wanted sons _in addition to_ their daughters. Happousai told them he could do it if they each brought a daughter to him. They… they were too drunk to realize what that meant. Uncle Tendou never made it back with Akane, and when Father woke up sober the next day, he finally realized what had happened."

Shampoo looked Genma in the eye. "Is this true?" Too ashamed to speak, he nodded.

Ranko continued. "He took me to Jusenkyou on purpose. He cursed himself to be a panda on purpose, so he could knock me into the Nyanniichuan!" She shook her head. "I… he was stupid to take me and run away from Mother, but… but he really didn't mean to hurt me. He raised me as a boy because he didn't think he had any other choice. He may be foolish, and irresponsible, and… and really really stupid sometimes, but he loves me and I love him! I won't let you hurt him!" Genma winced, but decided to let it slide. Any port in a storm.

Ukyou continued to look skeptical. "Do you have any proof of his story?"

Ranko nodded. "When I was moving in with Mother this summer, I accidentally spilled one of his drawers in our room. I found a Jusenkyou brochure—in Japanese. He knew about the pools beforehand."

Ukyou sighed. Why did Genma always manage to evade her revenge? She really wished she could just kill him and be done with it, but if Ranchan loved him, she couldn't. Rats. How would she ever get her honor back?

Shampoo had other things on her mind. "Old Pervert listened to them, do _that_ to you—when they _drunk_?" Ranko nodded. Shampoo fumed. Vengeance was not denied, just… redirected. Fools were not punished; their folly was punishment enough. She knew she could not take away Ranko's father if she loved him. The old pervert was less of a problem: she didn't think there was _anyone_ who loved him.

She nodded curtly. "Very well. I get vengeance on Old Pervert." She glared at Genma. "You is just fool and bad father, is all." Genma winced again. "Be better father now, yes? Or I punish still!" Genma nodded vigorously. He didn't want the Amazons after him.

Though several of the girls continued to glare at Genma, the crowd dispersed, and he and his daughter were soon left alone. He looked at her. "Th-thank you, Ranko." She just smiled up at him, and once again feelings from many years ago surfaced in his heart. That look…

"Come on." She tugged at his sleeve. "You were going to meet my music sensei." He nodded and followed her inside.

A half hour later (the lesson had had to be cut short since it had started late), they were walking home together. He had watched as Ranko had played under the tutelage of her sensei. He could tell from the contented smile on her face as she played that it was very special to her, and he could tell from the way Kobayakawa-sensei had behaved around Ranko—and from his own ears—that his daughter had great talent. He felt confused. He was excited for her, and proud, but he still wanted her to be a great martial artist. It didn't seem possible for her to do both.

Ranko broke his train of thought. "What did you think of Sensei? Did you like my playing?"

He smiled. "Well, she clearly thinks you have talent, Ranko. And I have to say after listening to you, I agree with her. You play very well. Have you really been at it for just a few weeks?"

Ranko blushed and nodded. "Yes. I've always liked music, but I never tried an instrument before." She looked off into the distance, her eyes unfocused. "And to think I might never have tried it, if I hadn't become a girl again…" she trailed off. They walked in silence for a few minutes.

She turned her head up at him and looked embarrassed. "I'm sorry, Father. I was… very angry with you this summer. I didn't know what had happened. Everyone heard the story, and… I guess that's why Shampoo and Ucchan attacked you. Akane was ready to do the same thing, I think, until she heard what you had to say." She looked sad. "I'm sorry, it was my fault…"

He smiled down at her. Being the father of a teenage girl might not be as hard as he had thought. "It's all right. I… you were right to be angry. I did a very foolish thing." He sighed. "I'm sorry I hurt you so badly… sweetheart."

She stopped, and he noticed and stopped too. She smiled up at him, the happy, loving smile he remembered from that little girl so many years ago. She came over and wrapped her arms around him, though they didn't reach very far. "I forgive you… Daddy."

She took his arm, and they walked the rest of the way home that way, she carrying her briefcase, and he her violin.

As they turned in at the Tendous' gate, he spoke again. "I certainly didn't expect a workout like that when I just came to meet your sensei!" He laughed. "A quiet evening at home will be nice. I'll listen to you practice your violin while Tendou and I play shogi." She nodded.

They stepped into the genkan, and took off their shoes as they called out "Tadaima!" They stepped up, and walked into the living room…

Where Genma found himself staring at a razor-sharp steel point, an inch from his nose. "O-kaeri nasai… Dear."

* * *

End Chapter 8

Sunday, September 10, 2000

**Copyright Notice**

The characters and stories of Ranma ½ are Copyright © Rumiko Takahashi, and are used here without permission or license.

No claims to the above copyright are made by the author of this work.

This work is for non-commercial use ONLY, and is produced for the enjoyment of fans only.

This work is the expression of the author and the depiction of the Ranma ½ characters herein are in no way represented to be a part of Ranma ½ as depicted by the original author and copyright holder(s).


	9. Chapter 9: A Different Art

Genma's Daughter

By ClassicalGal

Original concept and parts of chapter 1 by Nesin Evets

Chapter 9: A Different Art

* * *

"How could you?"

Nodoka was still boiling mad as she sat across from Genma in the Tendou living room. Ranko had pleaded with her not to hurt him, and she had reluctantly agreed to sit down and talk. The Tendous had gone out to a movie to give them some privacy, except for Akane, who had stayed to lend Ranko support. The whole story of how Ranko had become a boy had come spilling out as Nodoka looked on, implacable resentment etched on her face. Ranko watched them both, her nerves frayed.

Genma winced. "I told you, it was an accident. I didn't mean to…"

"I don't mean that! Insanity like that is a given where that perverted freak is concerned! How could you have even thought of taking her to him, no matter how drunk you were? Our precious baby, our only child!" Tears started to fall from her eyes. "And then you did the worst thing of all. You took her away from me! Do you think I wouldn't have loved her just as much as a boy? Girl or boy, you took my baby away from me for twelve years! On a training trip, no less, when I told you I didn't want you to push her into the Art. You knew full well that she was never interested in it the way Akane-chan was." Those two girls' jaws dropped at that.

"I might have been able to forgive you for being idiot enough to take her to the Master. How could I ever forgive you for taking her away from me…" She put her head in her hands and sobbed. Ranko got up and went over to embrace her.

Genma didn't think he could feel any lower than this. He had been sure Nodoka would kill him for getting Ranko turned into a boy. In his haste to escape, he had committed an even worse crime. He put his head in his hands.

After a moment, Nodoka hugged Ranko back, then released her and straightened up again. Her eyes were red but her face was tightly controlled. "Do you know how betrayed I felt? Do you know what it feels like to have your own husband, the man you trusted with your life, the father of your child, abandon you and steal your only child away? Can you imagine what I went through?

"I was beyond devastated. It took me four months before I could even function again. Two years before I stopped crying every single day, before I started to take any sort of interest in life again! And on top of that, Kirara died not long after you left. I didn't even have the Tendous to fall back on. If my sister and my cousin had not been there to take care of me, I might not be here right now." Akane and Ranko looked on silently, both crying, holding each others' hands tightly.

All Genma could do was whisper hoarsely, "I'm sorry…"

Nodoka shook her head. "Sorry won't do. There is nothing you can say, nothing you can do that will make up for what you did to me, what you did to our child. You are not fit to be a father!" Genma cringed. "Thank goodness she is old enough not to need protection from you; I only wish I had been there to protect her from your folly earlier." Nodoka shook her head. "She used to love cats, now look at her. And that's only one thing out of many that you did to her."

She leaned forward slightly, her gaze intent. "You listen to me. From now on, you are not making any decisions in her life. Not where she goes to school or college, not what she does with her life, not whom she associates with, not whom she marries. Those will be between me and her."

Genma boggled. "But… but Nodoka… you can't do that!"

Nodoka glared. "I most certainly can, and I will. I've checked with my cousin's husband, the lawyer, and if I pressed charges I could have you sent to prison. What court would sympathize with a man who would throw a child into a pit of hungry cats? You've proven your judgment is awful. But I won't do that if you stop hurting her."

Her voice softened. "I… I won't keep you away from her. I know she loves you, and I know," her voice faltered momentarily, "I know you love her. You took a curse on to free her from hers." She bowed her head and put her hand over her eyes. "It's just that you are a fool, Saotome Genma, and I cannot stand seeing our child suffer from that, not one more minute. I cannot let you guide her any more." Genma was speechless.

Ranko felt that she had to say something. Anything. "Mother, I… you… you don't have to do this. I know he has stupid ideas sometimes… well, OK, a lot of the time," Genma winced, "but I know when to ignore him." Genma winced again.

"I'm glad you have learned to ignore your father's foolishness, dear, but I want him to know he cannot boss you around. I will not allow it. Do you want him to come up with another crackpot scheme like the engagement to Akane-chan? Suppose he decides you should be engaged to that Kunou boy? The boy is rich, after all, something your father is easily swayed by. He could engage you against your will, just as he did before."

Ranko shook her head, shocked. "He… he wouldn't…" she trailed off, and looked at her father; he smiled sheepishly. "Oh, my…" breathed Ranko. Akane's glare could have wilted a good-sized stand of trees.

"So I am sending him the message, loud and clear: he is not making any decisions like that about your life. He is not making _any_ decisions about your life." Nodoka turned to Genma. "I would rather handle this informally. I prefer to stay married for the sake of convenience. However, you are not welcome in my home, and you are not welcome to meddle in our daughter's life. If I get even a hint that you are doing so, I will have you in court. Believe me, my cousin's husband is ready and waiting. He saw what you did to me first hand." Genma paled.

Ranko looked back and forth between her parents, her face pale from shock. "But… but Mother… what about our family? Won't… won't we have a family?…"

Nodoka's face was stone. "We may still be married, but I cannot live with this man."

Ranko stood up, tears streaming down her face. "No… no… please, Mother, not this… please…"

Nodoka shook her head. "I'm sorry, dear. I…"

"_No!_" shouted Ranko, then spun and ran from the room. She ran up the stairs, and a door was heard slamming.

Nodoka glared at Genma one more time, then turned to go upstairs. She went to her daughter's door, and paused when she heard the sobbing inside. She knocked gently. "Ranko… Ranko, dear, it's me. May I come in?" She heard a noise that sounded like assent, and slid the door open.

Her daughter was face down on the bed, her face in a pillow, sobbing deep, hard sobs. Nodoka sighed, and went over to sit down. She put her hand on her daughter's back, which stiffened, then relaxed. Ranko sat up, still sobbing, and accepted Nodoka's embrace. Nodoka stroked her hair as she cried. "It's all right, baby… it's all right…"

Eventually Ranko spoke. "Why?… Why d-does our family have to fall to pieces? Why? I… I want to have a family…"

Nodoka sighed. "Dear, I… I just can't accept your father as my husband any more. I can't ever trust him again, after he stole you away from me. I've tried, but I don't think I can forgive him."

Ranko pulled back a little while still in Nodoka's embrace, and looked up into her mother's eyes. "Are… are you sure? Won't you give him a chance?"

Nodoka looked down at her and smiled. "Why are you defending him like this, after what he did to you?"

Ranko shook her head, slowly. "Be… because he's my father, and I love him. I can never stop loving him. Yes, he did all those things, but… but he loved me."

Nodoka frowned. "How can you forgive him when he taught you the Nekoken? When he engaged you to Akane-chan? When he did all of those other things?"

Ranko flinched. "He… well, all right, he's an idiot sometimes. Maybe a lot of the time. Maybe he _is_ too irresponsible to be a father. But he still loves me, and he's still _my_ father." She took a deep breath. "I'd rather have an idiot father than no father at all."

Nodoka shook her head. "That's precisely why I can't trust him to have any say over your life. He _is_ an idiot, and he'll just hurt you again." Ranko nodded, reluctantly. "He ruined my life, and worse yet, he ruined yours. Maybe things are more or less set aright now, but I still don't think I can forgive him."

Tears spilled from Ranko's eyes again. "But… our family…"

Nodoka smiled sadly. "Ranko, dear, nothing will change, really. We don't have a family and haven't for twelve years. You have your father, and you have me, but he and I are almost strangers."

Ranko swallowed. "Maybe… maybe you should try to get to know him again first? Give him a little time?"

Nodoka sighed, a little exasperated. "It won't change anything."

"Please? For me?"

Nodoka bowed her head. "If I could do it for you, sweetheart, I would."

* * *

Dinner was a very subdued affair. Genma and Nodoka were both grim, and Ranko was terribly depressed. Kasumi tried valiantly to cheer everyone up, to little effect. Afterwards, Akane and Ranko sat out by the koi pond, trying to enjoy the last of the summer evenings before fall's chill really took hold. Nodoka had gone into the kitchen with Kasumi, and Genma and Souun were trying to concentrate on their shogi game, with limited success.

Ranko looked on morosely as a koi leapt out of the pond, then fell back. Akane had an arm around her, and was trying to do anything she could to cheer her up. "You know, things… things aren't really going to change that much. Your mother and father live separately already. You've learned to ignore your father when he has those crazy ideas. You can still see him just as much as you ever did, and now you've got your mother, too." She smiled, hoping desperately that it was catching.

Ranko picked a pebble up and tossed it into the pond; the fish scattered, then resumed their torpid swimming. "I just hoped… we could be a family again. The three of us." She drooped further. "In a year and a half, I'll be going to college." She snorted. "Especially now that I'm paying attention in school. Unless it's really close, I'll be moving out. I hoped I could just have this one last chance at having a normal family." Her eyes grew wet, and she leaned her head on Akane's shoulder.

"But… but Mother can't stand Father, and the Ministry of Education says I have to live here. I guess I could do my senior year at the high school in Mother's district, but… I could never leave all the friends I have now at Fuurinkan. I… I guess my wish isn't going to come true." Akane hugged her tighter.

"Look at it this way, Sis. At least you're you again. At least you have a mother again. I… I think it's a miracle that you survived what happened to you, and you're not even cursed any more. And we're like sisters again, the way we were when we were little. So many good things have happened to you."

Ranko nodded. "You're right. I… I just wanted life to be perfect." She laughed. "I guess it doesn't work that way, does it?" Akane smiled. For a while they sat, until the gathering chill drove them indoors.

Ranko looked around the living room. Her father was playing shogi, but still looked grim. A dismal mood still hung in the air. "I… I haven't practiced my violin yet. I… guess I'll go do that." She turned to go upstairs.

"Ranko-chan, won't you practice down here?" She turned, and Kasumi was standing at the doorway to the kitchen, smiling, a dishtowel in her hand. "I'm sure everyone would love to have your company." Nabiki looked up from her magazine and tried not to smile. Kasumi could be quite clever at times.

Ranko stared a second, then nodded. "O-OK. I'll go get my things." A minute later she came back down, her violin case in one hand, her music stand in the other, and her books balanced on her head. She set up the music stand, and placed her books on it. She opened one of them to a page covered with Kobayakawa-sensei's handwriting.

The Tendou sisters and Nodoka watched, fascinated, as Ranko got out her violin and prepared it for play. The fathers appeared to be engrossed in their game, but they watched out of the corners of their eyes.

Ranko tuned up her violin, turning the pegs and plucking the strings. Finally satisfied, she started on some warmup scales, then moved to her practice pieces. She tried to lose herself in her playing, as she did with the Art, and to put her feelings to music. She started to relax as her playing crowded out everything else in her mind. Her eyes were closed, and her music was her world.

Everyone in the room couldn't help but notice the melancholy undertone in Ranko's playing. The pieces in minor keys practically radiated her sadness. Nodoka sighed. Her daughter had suffered so much, to finally find happiness again, but now that happiness was being eclipsed by the dissolution of their family. She happened to glance towards Genma, who had forgotten about his game as he watched his daughter play. She could see the guilt on his face, mixed with hopelessness; knowing that ultimately he was responsible for the sadness that Ranko was feeling, and that there was nothing he could do to make it better. She sighed, and thought, _Genma, if only you weren't such a fool…_

Ranko would pause between pieces, flipping the pages in her music books to find new ones. As she did, she noticed the attention she was getting, and hoped that the music would be as cathartic for them as it was for her. Her music allowed her to express her feelings, both her sorrows and her joys, far better than words could.

It came time to practice the pieces she had committed to memory, and she simply closed her eyes and played one after another. Everyone watched, rapt, even Nabiki, who was constantly amazed at the progress Ranko was making. Finally, Ranko's bow drew the last few notes. She paused for a moment, her eyes still closed, then opened them and lowered her violin.

Everyone in the room applauded, and Ranko turned bright red. "Oh quit it, you guys! This isn't a concert hall, and I'm just playing beginner pieces!"

Nabiki shook her head. "They may be beginner pieces, Ranko, but they don't sound that way when you play them. Your sensei is right, you have a gift."

Ranko was stunned that Nabiki would make such a comment to her. "Th-thank you, Oneechan…"

Somehow, the mood in the Tendou living room had lightened, as if the music had absorbed some of the sadness that permeated both families. Ranko thought back to what her mother had said; the situation hadn't really changed, except now her father couldn't force her to do anything stupid. Her parents seemed to be settling into an uneasy truce, though their interactions hovered barely above the minimum level of civility. Maybe… maybe things could only get better from here. Maybe some day, if they were still legally married…

She looked at her father and Uncle Tendou, who had suspended their shogi game to attend to her playing. Her father smiled back at her, and she ventured a small smile to him. The two men turned their attention back to the shogi table. Ranko went over and sat with her mother and Akane on the sofa. At least her parents were in the same room now. She wondered how long it would take before they could look at each other without glaring, and sighed.

Her mother knew what was on her mind. "Things will be all right, dear. You'll see. I don't want to sound like it's not important, but I hate seeing you so caught up in our disagreements. You have so many wonderful things happening for you right now: your new life, your new friends, your violin. I hate to see you distracted from those when they make you so happy. And aren't things better now anyway, now that you have both of us instead of just one?"

Ranko nodded, slowly. "I… I guess…" She didn't sound convinced.

Akane thought a change of subject was in order. "Sis, where would you like to see things go with your violin? Have you thought about it? Would you like to be a professional violinist?"

Ranko smiled sheepishly. "I guess I don't know, really. I really like my violin, and I've only just started to see what I can do with it. I… I guess I was so focused for so long on being a martial arts sensei, I… I mean, I've never really thought seriously about doing anything else. But now… now I don't know if I want to be a martial arts sensei any more… Maybe I could be a violinist… or maybe something else…" She sighed. "Now I'm all confused."

Her mother smiled. "Don't worry, dear. Most young people your age don't know for sure what they want to do with their lives. Give it time, explore your talents, and see where they take you. I would be very proud of my daughter Ranko, the martial arts sensei, or my daughter Ranko, the world famous concert violinist." Ranko blushed, and Akane giggled.

Nodoka continued, "Or my daughter Ranko, the office worker or housewife or professor. Because I'm proud of you, period." She reached over and hugged her daughter, whose eyes were more than a little teary.

Akane made a face. "Or your daughter Ranko, the world famous martial arts concert violinist!" Ranko burst out laughing, and Nodoka looked confused. Akane continued "Hey, if there are martial arts rhythmic gymnastics and ice skating, you never know…" Nodoka decided she'd better not ask.

* * *

Ranko reached blearily for her alarm clock, and managed to swat it on the third try. She buried her face in her pillow and moaned "Mmmmmm…", protesting to the world in general over the terrible tragedy of having to get up in the morning. She lay there for a second, tempted to go back to sleep, but she knew she'd be late for school if she did that. She smiled into her pillow; at least some things about her hadn't changed.

She tried to remember which classes she had today, so she could decide whether she was prepared or whether it was time to panic. As she went over her schedule in her mind, she winced in realization and groaned; today was Saturday, and she'd still set the alarm! She sighed and rolled over on her side to go back to sleep, and found herself face to face with a cross-eyed stuffed panda.

Oh, right. She had promised her father to spar with him this morning. With a long weary sigh, she pushed her comforter aside, and forced herself to swing her legs over the side of the bed and sit up. After briefly wondering if she could fall asleep in that position, she opened her eyes again. Her mother's futon was rolled up and put away; she must be downstairs already. Ranko smiled; having her mother sleep in the same room last night had been a great comfort after the day's stressful events.

With another groan, she forced herself up, and stumbled over to the closet to get her gi.

She was doing a little better by the time she staggered into the dining room, where Akane and her mother, always early risers, were just finishing their coffee.

Akane looked her over. "Sparring with your father?"

Ranko nodded. "Where is he?"

"I think he's already in the Dojo waiting for you, Sis." Ranko nodded again, and turned to go.

"Dear, are you sure you want to do this? You don't have to anymore, you know."

Ranko turned back. "I know, Mother. I told you last night: I still care about Father, and training with me means a lot to him. It means something to me, too. I… I want to spar with him."

Nodoka bit her lip and didn't say anything. Ranko stood there for a moment, then said "Would you like to come watch?"

Nodoka smiled. "Yes, dear. Thank you."

Akane looked between the two of them, and decided she'd better come too.

They walked down the connecting walkway to the Dojo. Ranko shivered; it was starting to be chilly in the mornings. She slid the door open, and all three entered.

Genma was performing a kata. He glanced over, and his face clouded when he saw Nodoka, but he said nothing and continued.

Akane and Nodoka sat down against the wall, and Ranko bowed to the Dojo shrine, then started her own kata. Nodoka had not seen her daughter do this before. She watched in fascination; Ranko's petite, lithe build coupled with her skill made her motions seem like a graceful dance.

When Ranko finished her katas she found her father watching her from the center of the Dojo. She walked over to face him.

He looked her over. "Are you ready?"

Ranko felt a little intimidated by her father's penetrating gaze, but nodded. They bowed to each other, and began.

Genma grinned. "Let's see how rusty you've gotten, Boy! Er, Girl…" He attacked suddenly with a kick, and was pleased to see that Ranko had indeed been practicing. She was not going to be a pushover.

She wasn't where she had been, though, and after a minute or two he saw an opening. He delivered a mighty kick, and Ranko flew over to hit the wall of the Dojo, hard. She slid to the floor. He smiled. Some serious practice would do her good. He waited for her to leap back into the fight.

Except she wasn't leaping, just lying there. Finally, a moan came: "Owwwww…", as she pushed herself up into a sitting position with one hand. Nodoka jumped to her feet, anger in her face, but Ranko held up a hand. She had clearly had the wind knocked out of her. "S… S'OK, Mother. I'm OK. Really." Nodoka sat back down, but still didn't look pleased. Genma looked on, astonished.

Ranko pulled herself up the wall so she was standing again, and turned to face her father, pain and confusion on her face. "Father? Why… why did you hit me so hard? Yes, you penetrated my defense, but… but you didn't have to hit me that hard to let me know that!"

He looked at the pain and hurt in her eyes, and flinched. She… now he understood what he had seen yesterday, what had bothered him when she and Akane had sparred. His daughter was not fighting like a warrior, she was sparring like an athlete. It was no longer an all-out, life-or-death battle for her, but a sport, something she did for enjoyment and exercise. She hadn't expected him to hit her hard, because… it wasn't a sporting thing to do.

He spoke. "Ranko… if you were in a fight with a powerful enemy… they would be trying as hard as they could to hurt you, to kill you. You have to be ready for that, and the only way to do it is to experience it when you're training, by fighting as if your life depended on it; some day, it will. This is something I taught you when you were young; have you forgotten it?"

Ranko looked pained. Yes, her father had taught her that. But she had gotten used to the sparring with Akane, and she was no longer used to the no-holds-barred approach her father took. Suddenly, she remembered Ryouga's face when he had attacked her on the beach. The anger, the aggression… the hate. She shivered. "I… Father, I… I'm not sure I want to fight like that any more. I… I don't like it." She looked down. "I never really liked it. I like sparring, I like doing katas, but I don't like fighting…"

Genma's mind flashed back a dozen years…

Nodoka looked on with pride as her husband showed Ranko the basics of the Art. She didn't want him to train her as a martial artist, but thought it appropriate that Ranko understand this important aspect of her father's life. If her father was an aspiring martial arts master, she should learn a little bit about it. Akane-chan was already eagerly learning from her father.

Genma went through the motions of several attacks, each time showing Ranko how to defend herself. He repeated this several times, then smiled at his daughter. "Now, sweetheart, are you ready to try it for real?

Ranko nodded and smiled a huge smile. "Uh-huh! I'm ready, Daddy! I can fight good, now!"

Genma attacked as gently as he possibly could, moving slowly so she could react. Things went well for a few minutes, and then he broke through her beginner's defenses and hit her lightly on the side, just enough so she would feel it a little. He stepped back, expecting to explain to her how she had left an opening, but was stunned to find that she had collapsed on the mat and was sobbing. "Sweetheart… what's wrong?"

She looked up at him. "You… you hit me, Daddy! You really hit me! It… it hurt! Why did you hit me? Did I do something bad? Are you mad at me?" Genma's heart twisted in knots.

Nodoka hurried over to her daughter and scooped her up. "No, sweetheart. Daddy was just showing you how to fight like a martial artist. When you practice that, sometimes you hit each other. Daddy was just practicing with you; he's not mad. He loves you." Ranko kept sobbing, as Nodoka gently held her. She looked up at her husband. "Dear… I just don't think she has the temperament for this. She's too sensitive, and she's not as aggressive as Akane-chan. You know she never starts a fight."

Ranko looked up. "I hate fighting, Daddy! I don't wanna do it any more!"

Genma swallowed, and walked over to his daughter where she stood, looking down at her feet in embarrassment; he put a hand on her shoulder. "I understand, Ranko. We'll… we'll just spar today, OK?" She looked up at him in relief and nodded, and they continued.

Genma focused on keeping it to the level of aggression she was expecting. As they fought, he worried. She was plenty skilled enough to defend herself against any common criminal or attacker, even another martial artist, even if they were a black belt. But Ranma's enemies had never been common. And his child was no longer following the path of the warrior. His heart sank.

After an hour or so, they stopped. He supposed he should be proud of her; she was very skilled and an excellent student of the Art; she could likely teach at an ordinary Dojo. But… he was comparing her to Ranma, her previous self, and by that measure, she fell far short.

Still, he couldn't make her into something she didn't want to be any more; he would have to settle for what she was willing to give. The thought of trying to drive her to do better occurred to him, but then he remembered Nodoka's ultimatum, and sighed. At least this way, he and his daughter were still together, and… his head and his torso were still together.

He made his decision. "You did very well. I'm glad to see you have been conscientious in keeping up your training."

Ranko beamed. "Thank you, Father. That means a lot to me." She blushed slightly. "Thank you for sparring with me. I'm still trying to think of how to manage to spar with both of you, without spending a lot more time on it. I guess I could spar with Akane on weekdays and you on the weekend. What… what do you think?"

_I think it sucks._ "Maybe that would work, child."

She smiled. "OK! I'm going to go wash up now. See you at breakfast!" She turned and bowed to the shrine again, then walked away from him.

And Genma couldn't help feeling she was walking away from the Art as well.

* * *

After breakfast, Ranko and Akane hung out in Akane's room as they tried to plan out their weekend. Akane sat on the bed, and Ranko sat on the floor, leaning on her knees, which were drawn up. Quiet music emanated from the small CD player on Akane's desk.

"It's too bad Yuka and Sayuri are busy…" sighed Ranko.

"Well, we have Yuka's birthday party next weekend. We'll see them there. How about Ukyou?"

"I called her already. She says she's too busy with her restaurant today. She thought maybe we could go see a movie together tomorrow."

"Shampoo?"

"Same thing. Cologne is off somewhere tracking down some herbs, and she and Mousse are up to their ears holding down the N-n-nekohanten."

Akane nodded slowly, then suddenly brightened. "I have an idea! Why don't we have lunch there? That way we can at least say hello."

Ranko smiled. "That's a great idea! Maybe we'll have a chance to talk after the lunch rush." She got up and started to wander around Akane's room, her eyes settling on Akane's manga collection. She started looking over the titles.

Akane smiled. "Do you like to read manga, Sis?"

Ranko shook her head. "No… not really. You know, shounen manga never really appealed to me that much, and… and reading shoujo manga was out of the question." She grinned.

Akane snickered. "I guess I could understand why you wouldn't like shounen now, but why then?"

Ranko sighed. "I guess… they're mostly full of fighting, and killing, and impossibly voluptuous girls, and… that kind of stuff. It was boring, and it didn't really interest me. There were a couple of sports manga I did like to read." She giggled. "Anyway, my real life was weird enough. I didn't need to read anything to get that!"

"But… I thought you liked to fight back then?"

Ranko was still looking through the titles. "Well, it's not that I _liked_ it for its own sake. When I was the one fighting, it… it was a matter of pride, of the values Father raised me with. In the heat of a battle, I was totally focused on winning; I ignored the fact that I was trying to hurt someone. And it felt good… to be so good at something. To know I was one of the best."

She became somber, and stopped her browsing for a moment. "And it… it helped me feel like a man, when… when that was what I thought I was supposed to be. It was about the only way I could feel good about myself when I had all these feelings inside." She sighed. "Even so, when it wasn't one of _my_ fights, I… I never really cared for it. I never enjoyed watching people get hurt. And now I don't like it at all. When I fought Ryouga at the beach, and I hit him, it… it hurt. It hurt to hurt someone, to see the pain in his face. I have a hard time doing it now unless I have to, to protect myself, or fend off some pervert like Kunou or Happousai." Akane nodded thoughtfully.

There was a knock at the door, and Kasumi popped her head in. "Akane, could you help me for a moment? I need to move some furniture and Father and Uncle Saotome are out."

Akane got up, smiling, and turned to Ranko. "I'll be back in a minute, OK?" Ranko nodded.

When Akane returned ten minutes later, she found Ranko lying on her stomach on the bed, feet in the air, and deep into one of her shoujo manga. She looked very intent. Akane peeked; it was "Hana Yori Dango". Akane smiled. "You can borrow them if you want."

Ranko didn't seem to hear for a moment, then finally stopped and sat up. "Did you say something?"

Akane laughed. "I guess you like it. I said, you can borrow them if you want."

Ranko smiled, embarrassed. "Sorry to be a space case. Thanks, Sis!" She got up, and collected the next few volumes from Akane's shelf.

Akane glanced at the clock on her desk. "Wow, it's getting close to lunchtime already! I told Kasumi we'd be eating out. I guess we should get going."

Ranko had an arm full of manga. "Let me drop this off in my room and grab my purse, OK?"

Twenty minutes later, they walked into the Nekohanten. Shampoo spotted them from the cashier's station. "Akane, Ranko, hi!" They walked over.

Ranko smiled. "We thought we'd come have lunch and visit, since you were too busy to leave."

Shampoo's face lit up. "Thank you!" She shook her head. "Place is crazy today. We very busy." She hurriedly made change for a customer.

Ranko's mind drifted back several months, and suddenly she smiled. She turned and whispered in Akane's ear. Akane grinned and nodded.

Ranko turned back to Shampoo. "Would you like two extra waitresses for lunch today?"

Shampoo laughed her musical laugh. "Would I ever!"

Two hours later, Akane, Ranko, Shampoo, and Mousse sat at a table upstairs, finally getting a chance to eat their own lunches. The lunches were on the house; they had definitely earned it.

Ranko tried to unstiffen her neck, stretching it first one way, then the other. "Wow, that was harder than I remembered…" She went back to slurping her ramen. Was she hungry!

Akane nodded. "I don't think I've ever worked so hard in my life." She shook her head. "You guys have it harder than I thought. I… it just amazes me you can run a place like this with just the two of you."

Shampoo giggled. "You right, not very easy. I glad great-grandmother be back soon!" She smiled. "Thank you so much. Today very crazy, you help a lot."

Ranko grinned. "And we got a lot of tips, too!"

Akane swatted her on the arm. "You're just saying that because you got the biggest ones!" They all laughed.

Mousse shook his head slightly as he listened to the three girls chat. To look at them, you would never have guessed that three months ago one of them was a boy and the other two were ready to kill each other fighting over him. He couldn't help it; he chuckled.

They turned to look at him. Ranko looked embarrassed. "What?" she asked, blushing.

He smiled. "You three. I was just thinking back a few months. Things sure have changed." He shook his head again.

Shampoo laughed. "Do you miss it?" She ran around the table and hugged Ranko. "Oh, Airen! You come take Shampoo on date?"

Akane stood up and put her hands on her hips. "Ranma! How can you let her hang all over you like that?"

Ranko tried to look embarrassed but was grinning. "Hey! It isn't as if… I mean, it ain't like I want her to!"

Akane said "Ranma no baka!", summoned her mallet, and tapped Ranko lightly on the head with it. They all burst out laughing, Mousse included.

"No, I can't say I do. Thanks for the flashback, though." They laughed again, and Shampoo went back around to sit down. Akane, Ranko, and Shampoo exchanged glances, and smiled.

Shampoo shook her head. "I always wonder where mallet come from." She giggled.

Akane saw Ranko's eyes lose focus. _I wonder what she's thinking about…_

* * *

Later that afternoon, Ranko and Akane stood facing each other in the Tendou Dojo.

Akane asked, "Are you sure you want to learn this today? We worked pretty hard at lunch. Learning a new move is hard work."

Ranko nodded. "Yes, Sensei. I… I have always admired this technique of yours. I would like to learn it, if you will teach me."

Akane inclined her head gravely in acknowledgement. "Very well, Student. You realize that this technique is only to be used sparingly, in response to the worst transgressions? It can be dangerous if misused."

Ranko nodded solemnly. "Yes, Sensei."

Akane went over to the Dojo's storage closet, and reemerged with the practice dummy. Ranko noted that the clip-on pigtail had been removed, and black circles had been filled in around the eyes, along with two triangular ears on top. She suppressed the urge to laugh.

Akane placed the dummy in front of her. "OK, let's say this is your… target." Ranko nodded.

"Now, I want you to concentrate. Remember what I told you while we were walking home. Envision it in your mind, OK?"

Ranko nodded, and closed her eyes. She held out her right hand, and furrowed her brow in concentration. There was a brief flicker of ki in her hand, then nothing. She blew out her breath in frustration.

Akane smiled. "That was very good for a first try!"

"I could feel it, but… but I couldn't get it quite right."

Akane pondered that. "It helps to be angry. Let me think a moment." She thought, then nodded. "OK, let's try this. Close your eyes. Let's pretend the dummy is your father." Ranko nodded, and closed her eyes.

Akane dropped her voice as low as she could and used male speech. "Ranko, on the honor of the Saotome family, I have promised that you will marry Kunou Tatewaki! It's for your own good!"

Ranko's battle aura flared, and the ki in her palm began to take shape. Sweat popped out on her brow, then her battle aura flickered out and the ki disappeared. She dropped her head, dejected.

Akane gave her a hug. "Don't give up, Student. That was very close. You're doing very well." She put her hand to her chin in thought, then snapped her fingers. "OK, let's try again." Ranko nodded, and once more closed her eyes, concentrating.

"Ranko, on the honor of the Saotome family, I have promised that you will marry Gosunkugi Hikaru! It's for your own good!"

Ranko's battle aura glowed brightly, and ki grew quickly in her hand and took form. She strained, as if reaching for something, then blew out her breath as her ki flickered out again. She looked at Akane sheepishly.

Akane shook her head. "You almost had it that time. You forgot to use the words, though."

Ranko blushed. "Oops. You're right. OK, one more time." She prepared herself.

"Ranko, on the honor of the Saotome family, I have promised that you will marry… the Master! It's for your own good, and he promised me a keg of sake!"

Ranko felt ki take form in her hand. This time she remembered the words.

"Panda no baka!"

_Wham!_

Ranko opened her eyes. In her right hand was a mallet, which had just smashed the practice dummy into the floorboards of the Dojo.

"_Yattaaa!_" She and Akane high-fived, then started jumping up and down and hugging each other.

Genma was sitting on the porch reading the newspaper, when he heard shouts of "I did it! I did it! I did it!" coming from the Dojo. _What are those two up to now?_ he wondered. Akane and Ranko walked out a minute later, arm in arm.

Akane said, "I knew you could do it! You were always a quick study." Ranko nodded and blushed. They walked into the house.

Genma stared after them, then shrugged.

On Monday morning, as Ranko and Akane walked through the gates, Kunou was waiting for them. "Fair Akane! Beauteous Ranko! Today will surely be the day that you open your bosoms to my love! Come, let me embrace you!" He ran forward.

The two girls gave each other an evil grin.

"Kunou no baka!"

_WhamWham!_

In the second story hallway window, as the other students looked on in shock, Nabiki nodded in appreciation. "Whoa, pretty good. Stereo."

At lunch that day, Ranko and Akane were headed outside; the weather was starting to get chilly, and they wanted to enjoy the last days before they had to start eating indoors. They found Hirota waiting by the doorway, and stopped.

He looked very anxious. "Have you… thought long enough?" He bit his lip and waited.

Akane looked at Ranko, who blushed and looked down for a moment. When she raised her head, she was smiling. "Hirota-kun, I _have_ thought about it. And I think that… before I could think about you as a boyfriend, I have to be able to think of you as… a friend. Considering what's happened between us in the past, I feel like I need to see your friendship before I can think about dating you."

His face fell, but he nodded. "I guess that's fair." He looked up and grinned at both of them. "So, can friends all go out for ice cream together after school?"

Akane and Ranko looked at each other, and smiled. "Sure!"

* * *

Days passed, and then weeks. Akane watched, bemused, as Ranko steadily devoured her shoujo manga collection. Ranko's mother still came over most weekends, though relations between the two elder Saotomes were very frosty. Sometimes, Akane and Ranko would spend the weekend at Nodoka's house, and Akane would enjoy her home away from home. Ranko's skill with the violin continued to grow, and she was starting to practice real compositions, not just practice pieces.

The weather grew cold as fall took hold in earnest; winter was fast approaching. Ranko was glad for the switch to the winter uniform at school, for she had a new problem that had never worried her as a boy: she was cold. She was so petite, her body lost heat quickly, and as the temperature dropped she found herself shivering. Her wardrobe grew a little more as her mother took her to buy a hat, a warm coat, warm tights, a warm scarf, and some gloves. She found herself, for once, envying the boys their trousers.

She and Akane were walking home one day, both bundled up against the unseasonable cold spell that had gripped Tokyo that week, and talking about the day's classes.

"Can you believe that novel we read in Western Literature today?"

Akane stuck her tongue out. "The one by Kafka, about a guy who turned into a giant cockroach? Ewwww!"

Ranko nodded. "You know, the scariest part was thinking, 'This could be someone I know!'" They both laughed as they turned a corner. At that moment, a shadow flashed across the sidewalk and someone landed in front of them: Kodachi.

Akane and Ranko exchanged glances. "Talk about surreal…" They dropped their briefcases, and assumed their ready stances. But Kodachi just stood there and stared at them. She scowled.

"You're not who I was looking for. Do I know you?" She furrowed her brow.

Ranko and Akane relaxed their stances, confused. "Kodachi? I… I'm Saotome Ranko…"

Kodachi continued peering at her, no recognition in her eyes. "Saotome? Saotome… Oh, yes. You're that peasant Ranma's sister, now I remember. Pah, I cannot believe I was once so enamored of him. Well, I can't stay and chat. I must search for my Toshi-sama!" And with that, she leapt to the rooftops and ran off, the dying echoes of her mad laughter coming from all directions.

Ranko and Akane both stared after her. "I… I can't believe her!"

Akane nodded. "I guess… she has a new, um, victim. It sounds like she's just about forgotten you."

Ranko shook her head. "No, I mean I can't believe she runs around in weather like this in a leotard! Why doesn't she freeze?" She shivered, and Akane giggled.

"Come on Sis, let's go home."

Kasumi paused from the dinner preparations when she heard the front door open. "T-t-tadaima!" She giggled, and went down the hall to greet them.

"O-kaeri…" She smiled; all that was visible of Ranko were two mournful blue eyes peeking out from between her scarf and her hat. Kasumi helped Ranko unbundle herself, and soon she was back down to her winter uniform. She hugged herself to warm up.

"Would you like to take a bath, Ranko-chan? It's hot." She found herself speaking to empty space, and laughed. Akane smiled and went to follow Ranko.

She finally caught up with her in the bath. Ranko was sunk down to her chin in hot water, her eyes closed and an expression of utter bliss on her face. Akane smiled, and went to wash off. "And you used to make fun of me when I said I was cold all the time."

Ranko smiled. "I guess I'm being punished… It's karma."

Akane giggled as she soaped herself. "It looks like you don't have Kodachi to worry about any more, doesn't it?"

Ranko nodded, her eyes still closed. "One less crazy thing in my life."

Akane was struck by a thought. "You know, things have been awfully… calm around here, lately…" She rinsed herself off. Brrrrrrr…

Ranko opened her eyes. "What do you mean?"

Akane walked over to the tub and got in, shivering as the hot water drove the cold from her body. She relaxed, sagging against the side of the tub. No wonder baths were considered an essential of civilized life here…

She collected her thoughts. "Well, before this summer, your life was, how do I say it, complete anarchy. You know, crazed martial artists coming to challenge us constantly, me getting kidnapped all the time, ridiculous contests, the new-fiancée-of-the-month club, some crazy scheme by our fathers to push us together." She furrowed her brow. "I can't remember the last time something like that happened. This is what it was like for me before you showed up. You know, quiet." She shook her head. "We never had martial arts takeout races around here before you came."

Ranko nodded, lost in thought. "You're… you're right. I wonder why?"

"How long has that kind of thing been happening to you, anyway?"

Ranko tilted her head as she thought. "Hmmm. I… well, as long as I can remember. The whole time Father and I were on the road, at least." She shook her head. "It's odd to have things be so… normal. I'm not used to it."

Akane grinned. "Do you need some craziness in your life?"

Ranko shook her head violently. "No, believe me, I'm not complaining." She smiled. "It's… nice."

That evening, Ranko had to practice her violin while sitting in the kotatsu, but Mother Nature showed mercy as the cold spell broke the next day. She enjoyed the relative warmth as she and Akane walked to school.

As they walked up to the entrance, they noticed that Kunou hadn't been there to meet them. At the door, as they changed into their indoor shoes, they noticed a poster plastered to the wall: "Special Assembly, All Students. First period."

Ranko looked at Akane. "I wonder what it could be?" Akane shook her head, bewildered. They headed for the auditorium.

There weren't too many seats left, so they had to sit in the first row. As the bell rang, Kimura-sensei and Vice Principal Takano walked out to the podium. Kimura-sensei turned on the microphone.

"Good morning, everyone. The school has an announcement to make this morning." She pulled a paper out of her pocket. "We have received word that Principal Kunou has been seriously injured in an accident with a pineapple canning machine on Maui. He is expected to make a full recovery, but the Ministry of Education has placed him on indefinite Medical Leave." Akane noticed that Kimura-sensei was struggling mightily to keep from smiling.

"Vice Principal Takano has been named the new Principal of Fuurinkan High School." The Vice Principal bowed deeply to the assembled students. "I hope you will join me in giving him your support. And now, Principal Emeritus Kunou's son, Tatewaki, would like to say a few words."

Kunou rose to his feet; he had been sitting a few seats to the right of Ranko. He turned to face the crowd, his face grim. "It is with great emotion that I received the news of my father's injury. I humbly implore you all to join me in expressing the proper sentiments on this fateful occasion." He thrust his arms into the air. "Banzai!"

The auditorium erupted into cheers.

* * *

At lunch, Ranko, Akane, and their friends were having an animated conversation when Shampoo walked up. "Hi, Shampoo!"

Shampoo smiled. "Hi, everyone!" She sat down and listened as she unwrapped her lunch.

"You know, Akane, this is getting positively eerie. Not only has nothing weird happened lately, but the weirdos are dropping out!"

Akane nodded. "It _is_ kind of… strange, isn't it?" Ukyou, Sayuri, and Yuka all voiced agreement.

Shampoo's interest was piqued. "What do you mean?".

Ranko thought for a moment. "Well, yesterday Akane and I ran into Kodachi. She acted like she barely knew me; it was clear she had latched on to some new guy—poor thing—and was busy forgetting her 'Ranma-sama'. We were talking about it last night, and realized that none of the crazy things that used to happen to me—you know, challenges, kidnappings, et cetera—have been happening lately." She shook her head. "Then today, poof! Principal Kunou is out of the picture. And you know, the school has been pretty… normal this term." The other girls all nodded.

Shampoo thought for a while as she ate her lunch. "Ranko, how long this kind of craziness been going on in your life?"

"As long as I can remember. It was happening all the time on the road with Father."

Shampoo finished chewing. "Hmmm. Maybe great-grandmother will know. Do you want to stop by Nekohanten on way home? I think she maybe have an idea."

Ranko and Akane looked at each other. "Sure, why not?"

That afternoon the two of them walked Shampoo home to the Nekohanten. They found Cologne busy fiddling with the thermostat. She paused to smile at them. "I wish the weather would make up its mind… What brings you here, girls?"

Ranko and Akane explained about the strange normalcy in their lives, including Principal Kunou's retirement as Principal of Fuurinkan that morning. Cologne listened and nodded. When they were done, she thought for a while. "It sounds like the level of chaos in your life has decreased tremendously."

Ranko nodded. "You know, this kind of thing has been going on as long as I can remember. I don't think I've ever had such a long normal stretch in my life."

Cologne thought some more. "I wonder… Wait here a moment, girls." She hopped off on her stick.

Ranko looked at Shampoo curiously. "Do you have any idea what she's thinking of?" Shampoo shook her head, confused.

Cologne returned a minute later, with a large reference book. She placed it on the table and started leafing through it. She spoke in a distracted way as she searched. "You know, Ranko, I've been trying for some time to figure out just what spell it was that Happousai cast on you. I couldn't think of anything that would do the trick, and it was nagging at me." She looked up and smiled. "I hate to have the old goat be one up on me." She went back to looking. "What you've just told me has given me an idea." She kept flipping, then stopped. "Ah. Here we are."

She read for a few minutes, then her eyes widened. "I can't believe even _he_ would use that!" She shook her head.

The three girls looked at each other. "What do you mean, Great-Grandmother?"

Cologne leaned back in her chair. "Ranko, it appears that Happousai used a spell which was… how do I explain this?" She thought for a few moments. "Well, the best analogy is it's a spell like a very old house with lots of drafts… or, a rattly old used car that leaks lots of oil." She frowned; this was a hard concept.

Ranko's eyes were glazing over. "Huh?"

Cologne sighed. "Magic is, essentially, controlled chaos. That's a gross oversimplification, but it will do. I couldn't find the spell Happousai used because I never thought he'd use a spell like that. But here it is, right here." She pointed to the page. "No one uses these types of spells any more, because they… well, leak."

Three pairs of eyebrows shot up. "Leak?"

Cologne nodded. "Yes, they leak… chaos. Magic is controlled chaos, but these spells don't control it very well, and they leak. You were leaking chaos everywhere you went, and it made your life… chaotic." She thought again. "You know, like an oil spill. Or Chernobyl."

Ranko was flabbergasted. "You mean… not only did he turn me into a boy… his stupid spell was what was causing all the insanity in my life? A challenge every other day, ten thousand fiancées, Akane getting kidnapped constantly—even Principal Kunou?"

Cologne smiled. "Very good, child! That's exactly right." The three girls turned livid as Cologne continued. "Now that I know which spell he used, it's no wonder it disintegrated so easily when I used the Chiisuiton water. It's like one of those cheesy umbrellas that turn inside out the first time you try to use them." Her face grew thoughtful. "Actually, I'm amazed it stood up to the Nyanniichuan at all. I'll bet given another few months it would have fallen apart on its own. I just gave it a push."

Ranko blinked. _That_ would have been a shock, if she hadn't already found out about her past from her mother. Would her father have had the courage to tell her what was going on?

Cologne shook her head. "Anyway, now that it's gone, you're not leaking chaos any more, and so your life is becoming… sane."

Ranko put her head in her hands. "I don't believe this. He turned me into a boy, and he turned my life into… into…" She groped for words, then remembered Western Literature class; "into a Kafka novel!" She slumped on the table, her face buried in her folded arms. Akane was busy shredding a paper napkin into microscopic bits. Shampoo had a very dangerous look on her face.

Ranko sighed, then laughed. "Well, at least he didn't turn me into a giant cockroach." Suddenly she looked up at Cologne. "Please tell me there isn't a spring of drowned…" Cologne nodded silently, and Ranko shivered. Maybe Kafka had visited Jusenkyou…

Shampoo smiled a nasty smile. That sounded like a good idea to use on the old freak.

* * *

Ranko pulled her violin case from her locker, and hurried down the hall towards the music room. She dodged and weaved through the crowd of students in the hallways, all of them going in different directions and all of them hurrying to avoid being late.

As she entered the music room, she glanced at the clock on the wall, and sighed in relief; thirty seconds to spare. She went over and took her seat next to Sayuri.

As the bell rang, Kobayakawa-sensei put down the papers she was grading, got up from her desk, and threaded her way around the somewhat worn-looking grand piano which stood next to the windows. She faced the class and smiled.

"Good afternoon, everyone. Before we get started on our first opera, 'The Marriage of Figaro', today, I have an announcement. I've been asked to hold a recital as part of the annual school talent show, which is held just before the New Year's holiday. I'd very much like it if those of you who have been practicing an instrument this term would participate. Would anyone like to volunteer?"

The students all looked at each other warily. No one moved for thirty seconds or so, then, tentatively, Sayuri and Hiroshi raised their hands.

Sensei smiled. "That's wonderful!" She turned to Ranko. "Ranko-chan, don't you want to play at the recital?"

Ranko blushed and fidgeted in her chair. "I… I don't know if I'm good enough to play in front of an audience, Sensei."

Sayuri blurted out "Ranko-chan, don't be silly!"

Sensei smiled and shook her head. "Ranko-chan, this is a talent show. Everyone can participate. Besides, your playing is more than good enough to play in front of an audience."

Ranko blushed again, and thought for a while. "I guess… it might be fun…"

Sensei smiled. "That's the spirit! I'll talk to the three of you individually about what pieces I want you to play. Ranko-chan, we'll talk about it at your individual lesson after school, all right?" Ranko nodded.

When she arrived for her private lesson after PE that day, she had another surprise waiting for her. With Kobayakawa-sensei was a short, pudgy, middle-aged man, wearing a rumpled suit. His hair was a bit disheveled, and he had a friendly smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye. They turned to look at her as she came in the door.

Sensei stepped forward. "Ranko-chan, this is Murata Ichirou. He is a professor at the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, where I studied. He's on the music faculty, and after I told him about you he wanted to meet you."

Murata-sensei wasted no time. "So this is our budding violinist! I'm very pleased to meet you, my dear." He bowed slightly to Ranko, who bowed politely in return, and answered the greeting.

"Kobayakawa-kun has high praise for you. I hope you don't mind if I sit in at your lesson?"

Ranko was starting to feel nervous from all the attention. "Of… of course not, Sensei." He nodded, smiling, and went over to sit down on the bench of the grand piano, observing her through the open case.

Ranko felt a little self-conscious, but soon forgot that Murata-sensei was there. She played her practice pieces, and Kobayakawa-sensei commented on her progress and introduced a new piece to work on for the next week.

As the lesson neared its end, Kobayakawa-sensei said "Ranko-chan, I'd like to discuss the recital now. I was thinking of having you play that short piece by Tchaikovsky."

"No," called out Murata-sensei.

Ranko and her Sensei both turned to stare at him; they'd almost forgotten he was there. He got up, and walked over to join them; he seemed very excited.

"Sensei… what do you mean?" asked Kobayakawa-sensei.

He shook his head. "It's not challenging enough. Ranko-chan has only been playing for two months or so, but she plays like someone who has been studying the violin for a year."

He turned to address Ranko directly. "Ranko-chan, you have a great gift for the violin. I've been teaching young people to play for many years, and someone like you only comes along once in a decade. I've never heard of someone starting at your age doing so well. Usually the best talents start at a very early age."

Ranko was somewhat shell-shocked by this. She had been willing to accept praise from her Sensei, but this man was a professor at a prestigious university! The idea that she might be _that_ good made her head swim.

"Sensei… I… I did train from a very early age, but it was in martial arts, not music…"

His face lit up; he seemed to take delight in this. "Really? How very interesting! Do you think that could have anything to do with it?"

Ranko couldn't help smiling at this jovial man. "I… I guess, maybe. Many of the martial arts techniques I've learned require very fine control of the body and the hands."

He nodded enthusiastically. "Perhaps that's it!"

Kobayakawa-sensei cleared her throat. "Sensei, what kind of piece did you have in mind?"

He thought for a moment. "I think a part of one of the Bach partitas for solo violin might be good."

Kobayakawa-sensei paled. "Sensei… Those are quite advanced! I'm not sure she's ready for something that difficult yet."

Murata-sensei nodded. "Maybe. But I think that maybe she is. I didn't see her really pushing herself here today. I would very much like to see her try."

Ranko felt like she was watching a tennis match. "Push myself?"

Murata-sensei smiled. "Yes, Ranko-chan. I was quite serious about your talent a little while ago. If you pursue the violin seriously, you could be a very talented soloist, the kind of violinist who travels all over the world to perform with orchestras in different countries, who does her own recordings. If I'm right about you, and I think I am, I would like you to come to our University to complete your studies when you finish high school." His face grew serious. "To reach that kind of level takes a lot of devotion, a lot of practice. If you want to be the best, you have to throw yourself into it with dedication."

Ranko felt her knees starting to give way; startled, both the adults moved to catch her. They helped her sit down. Kobayakawa-sensei spoke, concern in her voice. "Ranko-chan, what's wrong?"

"I… I guess I've only thought about my violin as something I enjoy for myself. I haven't really given any serious thought to it as a career." Her voice grew fearful. "And when you talk about being the best, about devoting myself to it, about traveling all over the world…" she trailed off.

Kobayakawa-sensei was startled to see tears in Ranko's eyes, and sat down to put an arm around her. "What is it, child?"

Ranko tried to collect herself. "My father said very similar things. He wanted me to be one of the best martial artists ever. I spent twelve years on the road, traveling all over Japan and China, away from my home, away from my mother. I… I didn't even recognize her when we met again!"

She took a deep breath. "I did become a great martial artist. But the cost was that I didn't really have a childhood. I didn't have friends, I didn't have a home, I didn't have a mother." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "It was too high a price to pay." She bowed her head, her lips a thin line.

Murata-sensei gazed sympathetically at the teenager. "Ranko-chan, have you ever heard of the Greek poet Archilochus?"

Ranko shook her head at the non sequitur. "Huh?"

He laughed. "A fragment of one of his surviving works contains a cryptic line: 'The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing.' There's no explanation of what he meant, though many have tried to guess.

"But I like to think that he was talking about two different kinds of people in the world. There are the kind who focus almost entirely on one thing, who plumb it in great depth. They're the hedgehogs. The other kind of people are the foxes: they try to broaden themselves, to not get too wrapped up in any one thing. They approach life in different ways, and they complement each other."

He leaned forward. "I understand what you are saying, Ranko-chan. I have many students with similar fears. They don't want their lives to be solely defined by their art. They want friends, family, outside interests. It's not because they're lazy; they're the kind of people who need that balance in their lives. Then there are the other students, the ones who live and breathe their work, who are at it hour after hour." He shook his head. "They reach great heights, but at a personal cost. A very few people somehow manage to do both." He laughed. "I haven't figured out how to do that myself."

He took her hand and squeezed it gently. "If you don't want to make the violin your life, that's OK. You could still be a very good violin soloist. You could be a violinist in an orchestra instead of a soloist. You can even choose another career and keep it as your interest on the side, maybe play in a youth or community orchestra. You have a great gift, but you're a person, not a gift. You just have to decide whether you are a fox or a hedgehog." Ranko was even more shell-shocked, but nodded, slowly. She sort of understood.

He stood up, and rifled through his bag, pulling out some sheet music. "Here. Take this home, and try it. It's the Bach Partita for solo violin in E Major. Don't try to play the whole thing." He flipped through it, looking for something. He pulled out a pencil and made a mark on one of the pages. "Work with your Sensei, and try this part here, the third: the Gavotte en Rondeau. It's only three minutes or so in length, perfect for a recital, and it's a popular piece."

Kobayakawa-sensei and Ranko both looked at the music. Ranko blanched as she saw rivers of notes far beyond what she had attempted so far. Kobayakawa-sensei shook her head slowly. "Sensei, I'm just not sure about this…"

The impish grin returned. "Trust me. Try it. I know what I saw this young lady doing; I think you may be surprised." He shrugged. "If you can't master it in time, play something easy. I don't think the parents will know the difference." His eyes twinkled. "And Ranko-chan, don't worry. You don't have to decide yet. It's something to think about a year from now, when you're deciding on where to go to college. Keep learning, keep working with your Sensei, and enjoy it. And I'll make sure she's keeping you sufficiently challenged." He winked, and it was Kobayakawa-sensei's turn to look shell-shocked.

"Well, I think it's time we were all going. I'm very much looking forward to hearing you play that Bach piece, Ranko-chan." He bowed again, and was on his way. Ranko and her Sensei watched him leave.

Sensei turned back to her student. "He's right, Ranko-chan. I was a student of his, and I decided I did not want to be a performer; I wanted to teach. I wanted to have a family, too. Your gift is yours; you don't owe the world the right to experience it." She smiled. "But think of how nice it is to share it with others, as much as you can."

Ranko nodded slowly, then looked at the sheet music that Murata-sensei had left behind. "I… I don't know about this, Sensei…"

Sensei thought for a moment. "I'm not sure either, but he's right; it doesn't hurt to try. If you are the kind of person who can respond to a challenge, you might surprise yourself."

Ranko thought to herself, _Saotome Ranma was that kind of person. But is Saotome Ranko?_

* * *

End Chapter 9

Sunday, September 10, 2000

**Copyright Notice**

The characters and stories of Ranma ½ are Copyright © Rumiko Takahashi, and are used here without permission or license.

No claims to the above copyright are made by the author of this work.

This work is for non-commercial use ONLY, and is produced for the enjoyment of fans only.

This work is the expression of the author and the depiction of the Ranma ½ characters herein are in no way represented to be a part of Ranma ½ as depicted by the original author and copyright holder(s).


	10. Chapter 10: Ready or Not

Genma's Daughter

By ClassicalGal

Original concept and parts of chapter 1 by Nesin Evets

Chapter 10: Ready or Not…

* * *

Trains clattered across the Ikebukuro line bridge every few minutes, carrying the salarymen and O.L.'s who worked in downtown Tokyo back to their homes. The sounds of traffic could be heard on the streets of Fuurinkan-cho, and people bustled along the path that lined the canal, hurrying on their late afternoon errands. Children were busy at play on the large flat area on the opposite bank. The days were growing shorter, though, and the sun was already close to the horizon.

Amongst all this bustle, no one paid much attention to the petite redhead who sat by herself under the bridge, deep in thought.

Ranko shivered slightly. The temperature was starting to drop, and she should be on her way soon. Her family was probably wondering where she was. But she had felt the need to come to her favorite thinking place to think about this latest development in her life.

Did she want to immerse herself in her violin the way she had in martial arts? Did she want to be a top concert violinist, as Murata-sensei had said she could be? Someone whose name appeared on concert programs the world over? Did she still want to teach martial arts? She was enjoying the variety in her life now; did she want to bring it to a single focus again? The thought made her heart sink. But if she didn't, was she running away from herself? From her gift? She shook her head. _I… I don't even know how to think about this…_ She folded her arms on her raised knees, and lowered her head.

She was starting to think it was getting way too cold to stay when a voice interrupted her reverie. "Excuse me, Miss, but can you tell me how to get to Tokyo? I'm looking for the Tendou Dojo."

She raised her face to look, then smiled impishly. "Oh, I think I might be able to help."

Ryouga looked surprised. "Ranko-san! What are you doing in Nagoya?"

She laughed. "Silly. This is the exact same place I was sitting the last time, when you thought we were in Osaka!"

He looked around. Darned if the place didn't look a little familiar.

She stood up. "Come on. I was just headed home myself; it's getting too chilly for me. I'll take you there."

"Th-thank you, Ranko-san." He followed her up the embankment, watching her as her hair blew lightly in the breeze. Kami-sama, but she was beautiful. He sighed. How was he going to get himself out of this latest mess, and decide? The Kunou approach of pursuing them both clearly didn't work…

He kept walking, lost in thought, until he heard a voice. "Ryouga-kunnnn! This way!" He looked up; Ranko was walking in a completely different direction than he had been. He walked over to meet her.

She shook her head. "You know, you are really hopeless sometimes. Come on." With that, she grabbed his hand, and pulled him behind her. Ryouga hoped desperately that while holding his hand, she would not feel the pounding of his heart.

Soon they arrived at the Tendou home, and Ranko released Ryouga's hand and gently propelled him towards the front door. She made sure he was still next to her, and slid it open. "Tadaima!"

Akane came down the hall. "O-kaeri. Where have you been? It's late… Oh, Ryouga-kun. Have you come for a visit?" He gulped and nodded. Akane smiled, and they proceeded down the hall, Ranko keeping on eye on Ryouga to make sure he didn't get lost in a closet.

An idea was starting to form in her mind, to try to get Ryouga to be more open about his feelings for Akane. She had to get him to be more above board about it, instead of hiding as P-chan.

Kasumi appeared in the kitchen door. "Why, Ryouga-kun! What a nice surprise! Would you like to stay for dinner?"

Ryouga smiled. "Yes, I'd like that."

Ranko looked around. "Where's Mother?"

"In here, dear." Nodoka was sitting in the living room, and they all went to join her. Genma and Souun were at the shogi board.

"What took you so long, dear?"

Ranko dropped her eyes, embarrassed. "My lesson ran late, and… and I went to the bridge to think for a bit."

Akane sat up. "Did something happen at your lesson?"

Ranko nodded. "My sensei's sensei came by to listen to me play. He's a professor from the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music. He told me I was… was gifted, that I could become a top concert violinist. He told me he wanted me to come study under him when I graduate." Her face fell, as did Ryouga's jaw.

Nodoka and Akane looked at each other. "Why, that's wonderful, dear! That is one of the top fine arts schools in the country; it's right near Tokyo University. I've heard they graduate many fine musicians. It would be a wonderful honor to attend. Why the long face?"

"Because to do that, I'd have to really work hard at it. Maybe as hard as I did at martial arts, or more. I'd have to dedicate myself to the violin. I just don't know if I ever want to spend that much time on one thing again. I… I like having a real life, with friends, and other interests." Genma grimaced, but said nothing.

"He said that was OK, that I could still be a violinist, or even just do it as a hobby." She sighed. "I honestly don't know what I want. The idea of developing my skill on the violin is exciting, but… but I just want to be normal. I've had a weird life for so long, and I just want to be _normal_." She paused for a long moment, overcome by the intensity of her feelings.

"I don't know if I want to go to a special university for music training, and travel all over the world the way he says." Her head drooped. "They also gave me a really hard piece for the school talent show. I don't know if I can do it."

Akane was worried. "Sis, this isn't like you. I've never seen you fail at something you put your mind to. You're one of the most talented, determined people I know."

Ranko smiled a sad smile. "That was Saotome Ranma, not Saotome Ranko." She looked down again.

Ryouga felt something in his heart twist a little.

Akane shook her head, a little angry. "That's nonsense! I'm talking about _you_. You can do it if you want; you've met every challenge that was ever thrown at you. Because you didn't give up. And I know that you're still that same person inside." She smiled. "I'm glad you're not bragging all the time like you did when you were Ranma, but I hate to see you losing your self-confidence this way. We both know you have talent, in martial arts, and violin, and who knows what else?"

With some surprise, Ranko realized that Akane was right. _Where __**has**__ my self-confidence gone? I… I haven't really had much since I became Ranko again. Will I ever get it back?_ Well, she remembered one thing from her worst martial arts challenges: never give up. Could she still summon that iron will?

"You're right, Akane. I… it doesn't hurt to try. I'll give that piece my best shot." They both smiled. "And I'll try to do what Professor Murata said: just work on my violin for now, and enjoy it, without worrying where I'm going with it."

Nodoka frowned; she was starting to get a true picture of just how badly Genma's mistake had hurt their daughter. Ranko had seemed to recover miraculously once she was a girl again, but Nodoka was starting to see signs of longer-lasting damage. Pushed into a life she didn't want, the way some girls get pushed into gymnastics or tennis, apparently she was now wary of getting seriously involved with anything. Her self-confidence seemed to be in tatters, too. Nodoka sighed, and hoped that her daughter would get over it in time.

She turned to Ryouga. "And what brings you here, Ryouga-kun? Not an attack this time, I hope?"

Ryouga had been totally focused on the talk about Ranko, and was taken by surprise when the conversation turned to him. He blushed and nodded. "No, Ma'am. Umm, I just wanted to… to drop off some o-miyage I picked up." He reached into his pack, and drew out two boxes. "Candies from Sapporo." Ranko brightened. This was a much better way for Ryouga to express himself than by cuddling with Akane as P-chan. "I got one for each of you," he said, and handed one box to Akane and one to Ranko.

Ranko was astonished. "For… for me?" Ryouga smiled and nodded. "Th-thank you, Ryouga-kun." Akane chimed in her thanks as well. For some reason, Ranko found she was blushing and having a hard time looking Ryouga in the eye.

Kasumi popped her head out of the kitchen. "Dinner is just about ready, everyone."

Nodoka flushed. "I am so sorry, dear, I had meant to come in earlier and give you a hand, but I got distracted."

Kasumi shook her head, smiling. "Please don't worry about it, Auntie." Nodoka went into the kitchen with Kasumi, and Ranko went upstairs to change out of her uniform.

Soon they were called to the dinner table. It was a little crowded, but Kasumi always seemed to know how to set a place for one more. Ryouga enjoyed watching Akane and Ranko chat about their day and engage in lighthearted banter. He smiled at the irony: six months ago, he would have been furious at the same thing. He also couldn't help noticing the coldness between Ranko's parents.

After dinner they were all seated in the living room, the fathers returning to their shogi board. Ranko noticed the clock on an end table. "Oh, it's late. I should go upstairs and practice." She smiled apologetically at Ryouga. "I'm supposed to practice even on lesson days." She turned to leave.

Ryouga blurted out, "Would you… would you mind practicing down here? I… I haven't heard you play, and I'd like to."

Ranko looked at him, surprised. "Are you sure?" He nodded. She turned to the others. "Is that OK, everyone? I don't want to disturb you."

Akane laughed. "Sis, your violin playing could never disturb anyone! Of course it's OK."

Ranko nodded, and went upstairs to fetch her things. A few minutes later, her music stand and her violin were ready, and she began.

Ryouga was impressed; she _was_ good. Once again he wondered how this girl could be Ranma, the boy he had thought obnoxious and without any redeeming features. He watched closely as she played, her eyes often closed, emotions flashing across her face in tune with the music. Her delicate hands flew back and forth; her petite fingers danced on the strings. She was so beautiful, and her face was so expressive… He was lost in her playing, in her beautiful music, and in her heart, which was plainly visible on her face.

None of the other women missed the way Ryouga was looking at Ranko. Akane smiled to herself.

After playing through all her practice pieces, Ranko dropped the violin from her chin, opened her eyes, and smiled. She never tired of this.

Ryouga just sat there with his jaw slightly open, gazing at her face, until he shook himself and looked away, embarrassed.

"Sis, are you going to play that piece that Murata-sensei gave you?"

Ranko was aghast. "I haven't even tried it with my sensei yet! I won't be able to play it right away. It'll sound terrible!"

Akane stood up and went over to hug her. "I think we can stand one terrible piece out of all that beautiful music. I want to hear it now, and I want to hear you work on it, and I want to hear it when you've got it conquered." She smiled.

Ranko nodded uncertainly. "Well, I guess… I warn you, it won't be pretty." She laughed. Akane sat down, and Ranko pulled out the sheet music Murata-sensei had given her. She looked over the music doubtfully, as if it were Akane's cooking, then sighed and raised her violin to her chin.

She started to play, and winced as she tripped over the chords, stumbled through the trills. She grit her teeth and tried to navigate through the maze of notes, but it was devilishly hard. After a minute, she gave up, exhausted. Her face fell. "I'll never be able to play this…"

Akane shook her head. "I'm sure you will. Just keep trying. It always worked for you before."

Ranko was looking warily at the music. "I never tried to play something like this on a violin before."

* * *

"You're getting sloppy, girl!"

Ryouga watched as Ranko barely dodged a strike from her father. He shifted uncomfortably on the mats; he had already seen her take several hits this morning. He had stayed the night at the Tendou home, and when he'd overheard Ranko and her father heading off to spar, he'd asked if he could watch. Ranko had smiled and nodded.

Ryouga saw Genma execute a leg sweep, but Ranko seemed to have anticipated it. She leapt over her father's head to avoid it, tapping him lightly on the back of the head with a gentle kick as she flew by. They grinned at each other; Genma had gotten the message.

"Good," was all he said, and nodded.

Ryouga smiled. Watching the two of them had been fascinating. What had captured his attention was not so much the action—that was tame compared to the past—but the way Ranko practiced the Art.

For the first time, he was understanding in a direct way that this girl really was… Ranma. Even though she practiced the Art in a different way now, even though she never hit her father hard enough to hurt him, there was no mistaking who this was. He would recognize Ranma's style anywhere; it was as distinctive as handwriting. This part of her was the least changed, and the first he could recognize. But having recognized one part…

He had heard Akane tell her that she was the same person inside, something he had had trouble believing. But as he sat and watched her, other parts of Ranma came to mind: his impish sense of humor, his awkwardness, his kindness, his arrogance, his devotion to those he cared for. Some facets of Ranma—like the arrogance—were gone now, and previously hidden ones had appeared; still others were unchanged, but… rearranged.

He shook his head. It was as if he were now seeing her clearly and directly, where before he had seen her—him—reflected in a distorted mirror. That earlier person had constantly made him angry; now, she provoked very different feelings in him. Could it be that he had glimpsed the truth in that distorted image, and that was what had enraged him so? Was that why she had been able to fool him every time she had posed as a girl? He'd probably never know, and it didn't matter; all that mattered was here and now.

Ranko and her father finished and bowed to each other. "Thank you, Father. One hour with you is like three with anyone else."

Genma laughed, and she stretched up on tiptoe to kiss him on the cheek; even so, he had to lean down a little. Ryouga watched as she picked up a towel, blotted her face with it, and came over to talk to him. Genma went out to clean up.

She smiled. "Ryouga-kun, I'm so glad you're still here. I was worried you might… disappear last night." She looked a little embarrassed at the observation. "I'd like to talk to you about…" she looked around and lowered her voice, though they were alone "Akane." He blanched. "But first, let me clean up. Don't wander off, OK? I'll be back in a little while." He nodded, and she went off towards the house. He got up to follow her in; he was damned if he was going to sit in the Dojo and wait for her.

He was still trying to find the living room a half hour later when she poked her head around a corner. "There you are! I was worried you had managed to leave somehow." She was wearing slacks and a turtleneck sweater; winter was not far off.

She looked around. "Maybe it's just as well. Why don't we… go for a walk somewhere or something. I'd like to talk to you in private." He gulped and nodded. "Follow me." Watching her carefully, he followed her around the outside of the house, and they slipped out the front gate.

Ten minutes later they were sitting on a bench in the park. Surprisingly for a chilly Saturday morning with a gray sky, the place was abustle with activity; joggers, volleyball players, mothers chatting, their children at play. For a few moments, Ranko idly watched two young mothers on a nearby bench. Their children were on the neighboring swings, and one of the women was obviously pregnant. Ranko smiled, and mused about her future.

She broke out of her daydreams and turned her attention back to Ryouga. "Ryouga-kun, I wanted to talk to you about Akane. I thought it was nice of you to bring candy for her, and it got me thinking." She paused a moment, to gather her thoughts. "If you have a girl you really care about, you should tell her how you feel. At least, that's what I would want if it were me."

Ryouga seemed very nervous for some reason. "Re-really?" he squeaked.

Ranko nodded. "I've watched you dance around Akane ever since you arrived here. You've taken her out a few times, but you never told her that you loved her."

Ryouga managed to smile. "Since you were there trying to break us up every single time, I didn't have the chance."

She blushed and giggled. "You're right. I… I'm sorry about that…"

He shook his head. "It's all right. I understand; you didn't think I was good enough for her."

She looked thoughtful. "You're probably right…"

He swallowed and regarded her nervously. "Wh-what do you think of me now?"

She looked off towards the pond, and thought for a moment as she idly searched for the ducks that had been there in the summer. "I… I still don't like the whole P-chan routine. It's just wrong. Still… you've been very sweet to both of us." She frowned. "I wonder sometimes why my being a girl made such a big difference." She sighed. "You were always so angry at me before."

He looked down, ashamed. "I… I know. I'm still trying to figure that out myself. I… I'm not proud of it. I can't understand why you made me so angry. I'm… sorry. Truly sorry. I wish I had been your friend instead." He looked up; she was looking at him, her eyes probing. She nodded. Neither of them said anything for a while.

Ranko spoke. "I… I think you're a nice guy. I always wanted to be your friend, too, from the beginning. It was sad, the way we were always fighting." She sighed. "Anyway, we were talking about Akane, not me." She smiled. "I think you should tell her."

He bit his lip. "How can I do that?"

She puzzled that over for a moment. "Here, let's try a little acting." She blushed. "Akane is much better at this than I am, but let's try anyway. Now, I'll be Akane, and we'll try to coach you through this. OK?"

Ryouga paled. "Umm, all… all right."

"OK, let's start. You need to get her attention, to let her know you're serious. Go ahead."

Ryouga turned bright red. "Uh… uh… Akane-san, uhhh…"

Ranko shook her head. "I know it's hard, but you have to try to get your nerves under control." Her face brightened as an idea came to her. "You're a martial artist; I've seen you in some really hard battles. You can keep your cool if you need to." Her gaze softened. "Ryouga-kun, she might not reciprocate your feelings, but if you can't tell her, you'll never know. Try to keep that in mind, OK?" He nodded. "Let's try again."

Ryouga was still nervous, but seemed to control himself. "A-Akane-san, I… I… ?" He looked hopeful.

Ranko sighed in exasperation. "Ryouga-kun, you're talking to the girl you love, not reading the legal disclaimer for a radio commercial." She smiled. "You have to make that love come through, to let her hear it. Focus on how you feel about her. Tell yourself, 'I love this girl and I want her to know it!'"

Ryouga felt his heart twist again, a strange mixture of agony and bliss. He looked down into her beautiful blue eyes as she smiled up at him, friendship and warmth showing on her lovely face. He swallowed nervously, and knew he should look away, but he simply could not take his eyes off of hers. _Her eyes… The eyes of the girl I… the girl I…_

She grew uneasy at his stare, and her smile faded. "Ryo… Ryouga-kun?" she asked uncertainly.

Suddenly, from somewhere inside him, strength came, and his expression grew determined. "Ranko-san, I… I care for you, a lot. I have for a while now. Would you… would you be willing to go out with me?"

She nodded, beaming. "That was _wonderful_!" She giggled. "But you forgot, you're talking to Akane. You said my name instead."

He shook his head firmly. "I didn't forget, and I'm not talking to Akane-san. I'm talking to you, Ranko-san."

She laughed again, nervously. "Ryouga-kun, be serious. I'm trying to help you."

"I am serious."

Ranko's face grew pale. "Wh-what?"

Ryouga felt a yawning, bottomless pit in his stomach, but plunged ahead. He had no choice. "Ranko-san, I… I do care about you. I like Akane-san, too, but… but over the last couple of months, as I've gotten to know you better, I've found myself falling in love with you. When I heard you playing your violin last night, I… I knew." He shook his head. "You're the girl I love, Saotome Ranko-san, the girl I want to tell. Not Akane-san or anyone else, you." His eyes pleaded. "Please give me a chance."

Ranko's eyes were riveted on Ryouga's face, and she trembled. _Oh… Kami-sama… he… he's in love with me?_ "But… but Ryouga-kun… why? How?… You… you tried to kill me so many times!"

He turned crimson with shame, and hung his head. "I know."

"You sleep with Akane as P-chan!"

His head drooped a little further. "I know."

"You were so angry at me all the time! You hated me! How can you love me now?"

His eyes came up and met hers, conviction in his gaze. "I have no idea. But I do. I love you, Ranko-san." His voice dropped to a whisper. "More… more than I ever thought it was possible to love anyone." She gasped.

She felt blinded by the intensity of his feelings, as one is on a cloudy day when the hidden sun unexpectedly breaks through in all its glory, overpowering the eyes. The intensity of his love left her disoriented and confused, lost. She had never, ever heard him talk about Akane like this. She just stared at him, not having any idea how to respond.

Finally, she swallowed. "How could we possibly date after all we've been through?"

"Because you haven't said the one and only thing that would make me give up."

She stared at him, mystified. "What… what's that?"

"You haven't said you don't want to date me." There was desperate hope in his eyes.

Ranko looked up into those eyes, surprised, and held his gaze for a long time. She knew she had the power to break his heart in that very instant if she so chose; it would take only one word from her. It was a power she did not want.

She looked down and blushed. After a few moments, she looked up again, and regarded him carefully. His face wasn't twisted in anger and hatred, as it had been at the beach; instead, it held gentle warmth. For the first time, she noticed that he had kind, soft brown eyes… eyes that, at the moment, were filled with love for her. They almost made his words unnecessary.

_Oh, Kami-sama… am I ready for this? And with __**Ryouga**__?_ Why was she even considering this? Why was this different from Hirota, whom she had turned down? Hadn't Ryouga been just as mean in the past? A tiny voice inside her said "_No, angry, but not mean. I… I trust Ryouga…"_ Why she trusted him, she didn't know, but she did.

His eyes grew mournful. "Please? Just… just try it, OK?" He steeled himself. "If you don't like it, we… we can call it quits."

She looked into those mournful eyes for a few moments, then swallowed. With his history of pursuing Akane, it must have taken a lot of courage for him to tell her this. Her first date had to happen sooner or later, and he clearly cared deeply for her. Why… why not? It was just a date… "All… all right." She managed a tiny smile, while her heart pounded.

His face lit up, and he grinned his fang-toothed grin. "Yatta!" He held out his hand to her, and slowly, she lifted hers, hesitated for a long moment, then put it in his. They both blushed. Ranko dropped her gaze, but he could see the shy smile on her face. Ryouga felt something warm growing in his heart.

"How about I take you to dinner and a movie tonight?"

_Tonight? He wants to go on a date tonight?_ Her head spun a little. She couldn't really think of a good reason to say no. She blushed again, and nodded, then looked up at him, a mischievous smile on her face and an eyebrow raised. "You'll take me?"

He laughed. "All right, you can lead me there." She felt her humor return, and laughed with him.

Suddenly, a cold wind blew, and they were pelted with a light drizzle. It only lasted a few seconds, but it was enough: Ranko found herself holding a trotter. The redhead and the piglet looked at each other, and sighed.

* * *

"P-chan!"

Ranko stopped, the deer in headlights look on her face again. The whole family turned to see what had caused Akane's exclamation. Ranko was standing in the hallway, carrying P-chan towards the bath, a bundle of clothing under her arm. She nervously looked back at everyone. Just her luck; everyone was there, except Nabiki.

Akane stood up. "Where did you find him?"

Ranko stammered. "Uhh… I… I found him at the park…"

Akane looked confused. "What were you doing there?"

A voice behind Ranko said, "Oh, we just decided to go on a walk together this morning. Isn't that right, Ranko?"

Ranko felt a shiver run up her spine; slowly, she turned around. Nabiki was behind her, looking like the cat who ate the canary, her arms folded. Ranko swallowed, and nodded. "Um, yes. Yes, that's right."

Akane came up to take P-chan, but stopped. "Why, look! He's being perfectly nice to you. He's not trying to bite or scratch you at all. In fact, he's being quite friendly." She smiled. "I guess he can tell now what a nice person you are."

Ranko exchanged glances with P-chan; the piglet nodded, and Ranko couldn't help blushing. "I guess so."

Akane giggled. "I'll let you two get acquainted, then." She turned and went back to sit down.

Nabiki said drily, "Oh, I think they've already had a head start on that." Suddenly, Genma and Souun lifted their heads from the shogi board and stared. Ranko smiled nervously, and P-chan's eyes were wide.

The rest of the family went back to their activities. Ranko proceeded down the hall to the bath, Nabiki right behind her. She could feel her father's and Uncle Tendou's gazes boring into the middle of her back.

Ranko slid open the door to the bath, and placed the piglet and the bundle of clothes inside. "I… I guess we need to talk. We'll wait out here." He nodded, and she slid the door closed.

She turned back to Nabiki while they waited. "Oneechan, you… you saw?"

Nabiki smiled. Ranko wasn't quite sure whether it was a nice smile or not. "Of course. Did you guys really think you could go sneaking around without me knowing about it?" She _tsked_. "I'm disappointed."

Ranko swallowed. "What… what are you going to do?" Her face was pale.

Nabiki sighed. She could torment Ranma like this, but she just couldn't do it to her little sister Ranko; she deserved better after all she had been through. She dropped her poker face and put a hand on Ranko's shoulder, a genuine smile on her face. "It's all right, kiddo. I just want to talk to the two of you. _Especially_ with him. You two don't realize what a powder keg you're sitting on."

Ranko sighed, and nodded. The door slid open and Ryouga stood there, his hair slightly damp. His face was grim.

Nabiki jerked her head towards the Dojo. "Come on." They meekly followed her out, and the three of them were soon sitting on the floor in a corner of the Dojo, close enough to the door to hear someone if they were coming.

Nabiki turned to Ryouga. "You sleep in my little sister's bed." She said it as if she were making an observation about the weather.

Ryouga flinched, and hung his head. "Yes."

"I didn't make a big deal out of it, because I knew you weren't going to try anything, and you weren't making a serious effort to date her. It didn't exactly give me a high opinion of you, though." Ryouga's face was crimson. "But now, you want to date my little sister. My _other_ little sister. Now I _have_ to care about it."

Ranko gasped. "O-oneechan?" Nabiki was watching out for her?

Nabiki nodded. "That's right, I _am_ your big sister. Not by blood, but in every other way that counts. And I can't let you date this boy unless we straighten this out."

She turned back to Ryouga. "Why should I let you date her after what you've been doing with Akane? And what do you think is going to happen if Akane finds out that Ranko knew about you? It would shatter the trust between them." Ranko turned white and clapped a hand to her mouth; she hadn't thought about that.

Ryouga was silent for a long, long time. "I can't think of a good reason you should, except… except it's going to stop." He looked up, steel in his eyes. "It's going to stop now. I swear it, on my honor as a martial artist."

Nabiki nodded. "OK, that's a start. You guys are going to try dating. Suppose you decide you're in love? Suppose you get married?" Ranko felt dizzy. "One day, another girl you know throws herself at you. You know, like Shampoo did. She's got it bad for you, and she's all over you. Are you going to be weak, like you've been about P-chan?" Her eyes narrowed. "Are you going to hurt Ranko? You're already going to have to hurt Akane to put an end to P-chan."

Ryouga's voice was a hoarse whisper. "I know." He sighed. "I… I hope I wouldn't be weak. All I can say is I've learned a lot from this. I won't make the same mistake twice. I can't promise I won't make new mistakes."

Nabiki smiled. "Good. You're learning." She sat up straight. "All right, I'll let you go ahead. You're on probation, Mister. I'll be watching you. One false move, and you're pork roast." Ryouga gulped and nodded. "Now, how are you going to get rid of P-chan?"

Ryouga and Ranko looked at each other. They looked back at Nabiki, bewilderment on both their faces. She sighed. "I figured you wouldn't have a clue. Let me work on it, OK?" She looked at Ryouga. "If Akane corrals you into her bed before I can figure this out, I'll let it pass. But this is the end of it, or you can forget about dating either of them." He nodded.

Nabiki stood up, and Ranko and Ryouga followed. "Give me a few days. I don't want to hurt Akane any more than I have to. That'll take some planning."

Ranko spoke tentatively. "Oneechan?"

Nabiki smiled. "What?"

Ranko smiled back. "Thank you. For worrying about me. And Akane." Suddenly, she threw her arms around Nabiki. "I'm glad you're our big sister."

Nabiki, caught by surprise, slowly wrapped her arms around Ranko. She could get used to this big sister stuff. Better not let her clientele find out she had a soft spot, though. "Me too, kiddo, me too."

* * *

"Mother?"

Nodoka looked up from the book she was reading. Ranko was standing in front of her, and the Hibiki boy hovered a few steps behind her. Nodoka smiled; she had a feeling she knew what her daughter was going to say. "Yes, dear?"

Ranko cleared her throat, and looked intensely embarrassed. "I'm, ummm, going… going… ummm, out. Tonight." She blushed bright red. Akane set aside her magazine and listened.

Nodoka played dumb. "That's nice, dear. Are you going somewhere?"

Ranko lowered her eyes to stare at the floor. "I'm… I'm going on a date."

All activity in the Tendou living room ceased. Both families turned their attention to the Saotome daughter.

Nodoka smiled. "How wonderful, dear! And who asked you out?" She nodded towards Ryouga. "Would it be Ryouga-kun here?" Ranko blushed again and nodded, speechless.

Ryouga spoke up. "If… if that's all right with you, Saotome-san."

Nodoka's smile broadened. "Of course it is. You always struck me as a well-brought-up young man. I'm sure you'll treat her very well." She laughed. "Just don't attack her again!" Ryouga studied the floor. Would she ever let him live that down?

Akane was excited and pleased. "Ranko, that's wonderful! I had a hunch Ryouga-kun would ask you." Ryouga and Ranko blushed. "We'll have a blast getting you ready!"

Genma was somewhat less enthusiastic. He and Souun were staring at the… the c-couple, speechless. He thought he should say something, but found he had nothing to say. He had known she was going to date eventually, and he had thought he had come to terms with it… but the cold reality was harder to digest than mere speculation. He looked on silently.

Ranko smiled. "Thanks, Sis. I… I think I'll need some help in that department."

Ryouga shook his head. "We're just going to dinner and a movie. You know me; you don't need to dress up." He smiled.

Akane grinned. "She needs to get ready whether she dresses up or not." Ryouga nodded uncertainly, not sure he understood.

* * *

Ranko sat on her bed and watched with some anxiety as her mother and Akane went through her closet, evaluating her wardrobe. She was glad they had volunteered to help, because she most certainly would have begged them to had they not. She sighed.

At the sound, Akane and Nodoka paused from their inventory, and turned towards the bed. Ranko was fiddling nervously with the doll she'd nicknamed "Ranma-chan". They looked at each other, then headed over to sit on either side of her.

Akane took Ranko's hand. "How do you feel about this, Sis?"

Ranko grew pale. "To be honest? Terrified."

Akane shook her head. "You didn't have to accept, you know."

Ranko nodded. "I… I know. But he really cares for me, and… and I want to try this. I don't know if I feel the same way about him, but I've always liked him." She laughed. "Even when he was trying to kill me."

"That's what dating is for, dear. To get to know the other person, to see how you feel about them. If you don't like it, you can just break it off."

Ranko nodded. "That's what he said." She managed a small smile. "I guess I shouldn't be so scared."

Her mother nodded. "Just try to enjoy it, dear. Try to have fun."

Akane bit her lip. "Sis, you do realize you're supposed to give him a little kiss at the end of a first date?"

Ranko nodded. "I… I know." She paled again. "I… I think I can handle it. I want to try." She pursed her lips. "I need to know…"

Nodoka frowned. She hoped that Ranko wasn't pushing herself too hard.

Akane headed back to the closet and started looking again. "Let's see… you're going casual, but what can we do?…"

* * *

Ryouga sighed, and was just about ready to change channels on the TV again in search of something worth watching, when he heard footsteps and looked up. Ranko was coming down the stairs, a shy smile on her face, followed by her mother and Akane, who both looked pleased. He stood up.

Ranko was dressed casually, in a long skirt and turtleneck, which showed off her figure nicely. Her face had been made up, though it was so subtle that he couldn't for the life of him figure out what was different. All he knew was that she was stunning. He realized he was staring at her, and dropped his eyes.

Ranko came up to him. "Are you ready?" _Am __**I**__ ready?_

He looked up and nodded. "You look beautiful."

She blushed. "Thank you. Akane thinks I might learn to do it myself eventually." She and Akane giggled.

He smiled, then fished in his pocket for a piece of paper. He handed it to her. "Here's where we're going." He looked embarrassed.

She smiled and shook her head. "Don't worry about it."

He offered his arm, and after a moment's hesitation she took it. From behind them they heard a call of "Hey, guys!" They turned around, and blinked as the flash on Nabiki's camera went off. The photographer grinned. "Ranko's first date. Definite scrapbook material." Ranko blushed, and the rest of the family laughed, even her father and Uncle Tendou.

They turned once again, and headed for the front door, Ranko tugging slightly on Ryouga's arm every time he veered off course. To the uninformed eye, it looked as if he were leading. They donned their coats, and left.

* * *

Ranko looked out over the restaurant from her vantage point near the front door; the room was full. Not just with people, but a melange of sounds. There was the clink of cutlery on plates, the buzz of many conversations, the occasional pop of a bottle of wine being opened, laughter of both genders. The waiters wove their way through the whole scene with aplomb.

There were many couples scattered throughout the place, at various levels of romantic involvement. Some were chatting casually; others were oblivious to everything but each other. Ranko looked over the female members of these twosomes, and felt somewhat overwhelmed at having joined their ranks.

Tonight, she was someone's date. A boy's date. She wryly reflected that Father hadn't included this kind of thing in her training. How remiss of him.

Not just any boy, either. This boy was Hibiki Ryouga, who had somehow managed to find his way all the way from "Prepare to die!" to "I love you!" without getting lost once. It was quite possibly the most direct route he'd ever traveled in his life.

Her musings were cut short by the Maitre d'. "Ma'am, Sir? Your table is ready."

Ranko followed the man out onto the floor, Ryouga behind her; he was close enough to be a little possessive. She wasn't sure how she felt about that. They made a small procession through the dining room, as had all the couples she had watched ahead of them in line. The pattern was fixed: Maitre d', girl, boy.

They reached a cozy little table next to a potted plant, and the Maitre d' held her chair out for her. Ranko sat down, arranging her skirt as the man slid the chair forward under her. Ryouga was left to fend for himself.

The Maitre d' departed, and a waitress took his place immediately. She handed a menu first to Ranko, then to Ryouga, and Ranko had the odd feeling she was participating in some age-old ritual, a ritual that cemented her new role.

"I'll be back shortly to take your order," said the waitress. "By the way, we have a very nice special tonight: pork sausage with lentils."

Ryouga's face turned pasty, and Ranko winced in sympathy. She turned to the waitress. "It sounds delicious, but I'm afraid we don't eat pork." Ryouga produced a tiny smile of gratitude.

The woman smiled, nodded, and left.

Ryouga still looked a little pale, and was staring at the entrance to the kitchen. Ranko cleared her throat. "This place looks very nice. Thank you." He was still staring at the kitchen. "Ummm, do you have any recommendations?"

Ryouga wrenched his attention back to his dinner companion. "Huh? Oh, ahh, not really. I've never been here; I just read a good review of it." They both started reading the menu.

Ranko looked through the menu, and was relieved to see that pork was not a heavily featured item. She sighed inwardly; dating him was obviously going to mean giving up a couple of her favorite foods.

The waitress returned shortly, as promised, and took their orders. Soon the two of them were left alone with no further distractions. Ranko's hands fidgeted nervously in her lap.

Ryouga leaned forward, folding his arms on the table, and smiled. "Thank you for going out with me tonight."

She blushed and dropped her eyes, then shook her head. "Thank you for taking me out." She continued to blush, her gaze in her lap. "Ryouga-kun?"

"Mmmm?"

She continued in a small voice. "I… I'm glad this happened. I've always wanted to be friends with you, to get to know you better. But we were always fighting so much. If nothing else, I'm… I'm glad we can be friends now."

He said softly, "You're far more than just a friend to me, Ranko-san." She blushed furiously. He continued, "But you're right. We were missing out on something, before." He grinned. "It's never too late to get started."

She looked up with a tentative smile. "So where shall we start? Martial arts? Junior high? All the places you've been?"

He laughed. "I'd like to talk about all of those. But first, I want to hear about your violin. Watching you play last night was what made me realize that I loved you. You looked like you were born to play it, just like you always looked like you were born to practice the Art." Almost unconsciously, he reached a hand out across the table.

She regarded his hand for a long moment, then tentatively reached her own across to take it. The intimacy tinged her cheeks pink. "It… it's very special to me. I've always liked music, but I never dreamed I would be able to do something like this. To be able to make music myself… it's wonderful. It makes me very happy." She had a dreamy smile on her face, but it faded. "I hope I can learn that Bach piece they gave me." Her eyes fell.

Ryouga bit his lip; he still saw vulnerability in Ranko. It made him want to protect her. Physically, she could easily handle that herself, but emotionally she was as sensitive as most other girls; perhaps more so. Her happiness, which he had once sworn to ruin, had become something precious and fragile in his eyes. Perhaps because he finally understood how little of it she'd had.

Maybe that's why he'd been able to overcome his shyness with her, the shyness that had always stymied him with the opposite sex. For the first time in his life, he'd wanted to make someone _else_ happy. He'd never felt that before.

She was still looking downcast. He squeezed her hand. "I'm sure you'll do fine. I've never seen you fail to meet a challenge." Her smile returned, peeking out like a timid animal.

As their waitress hurried past them on the way to take another order, she glanced their way to make sure they didn't need her for anything. She smiled as she saw them chatting quietly, holding hands and gazing at each other.

She served a lot of couples in this job, and she knew a first date when she saw one. The redhead and the boy with the bandanna seemed to be progressing nicely. The matchmaker in her cheered them on.

* * *

Several hours later, they stood once more outside the gates to the Dojo. Ranko knew better than to say goodnight within view of the Tendou home. She looked up at Ryouga, and smiled. "Thank you. I had a wonderful time. The restaurant was very good, and I enjoyed the movie." She blushed. "And you were good company."

He smiled. "I'm glad. I was pretty sure about the restaurant, but I wasn't sure you'd like the movie."

She nodded, and they looked at each other again. Ranko's heart started to pound, for she knew that this was the point where they would kiss. She knew it would be a simple kiss, since Ryouga really was a gentleman and this was a first date, but this was the very first time she was going to kiss a boy (well, Sanzenin didn't really count—he had been molesting her).

She knew she was a girl, she was pretty sure she liked boys, but… twelve years of thinking of herself as a boy made this… very difficult. Could she forget her past well enough to kiss him? Could she think of herself as a normal girl? Ryouga deserved a kiss that wasn't half-hearted or uncomfortable.

He seemed to sense her struggle. "Are you sure you want to do this?" He had no reservations: to him, she was a girl, end of story.

Ranko closed her eyes. _A boy. I'm going to kiss a boy._ Some small part of her, left over from her previous existence, quailed at the thought. Well, OK then, how about girls? The thought made her uneasy. _But is that how I really feel, or am I just afraid of being seen as a… a lesbian? I shouldn't run away from it if that's what I am. Am I just lying to myself?_ She tried to imagine pressing her lips against another girl's in passion, pressing her body against… she couldn't even complete the thought; a wave of revulsion rose up to engulf her. _I… I don't __**want**__ to do that… I really don't… it feels so __**wrong**__._

She opened her eyes, and saw Ryouga's lips. She tried to stop _thinking_ so much, tried to put everything out of her mind but imagining her lips touching his. _His_ lips… a boy's lips… As she focused on that, something warm stirred deep within her. She shifted her gaze to his soft brown eyes. _Never mind who I thought I was, how I was raised… how do I feel about this now, at this moment. No thinking, just feeling! Do I want to… yes. Yes, I do. Do I ever…_ As she gazed into his eyes, the warm feeling inside of her continued to grow.

Ryouga was looking at her a little uncertainly. "Ranko-san?…"

She smiled. "Yes, I'm sure. I… I do want to. It's who I am now… actually, it's who I always was. I… I want to…" She sighed. "It's just a little hard to actually _do_ it."

He shook his head. "We don't have to."

She shook hers, firmly. "Yes, we do. _I_ want to. Just… give me a moment." She closed her eyes. _I'm a girl. I'm not a boy, I'm a girl. And… and I __**do**__ like boys._ She tried to focus on the feelings he was drawing out in her, the warmth she felt at the thought of… of sharing herself with a boy. She opened her eyes and looked up, and focused on those soft brown eyes, that handsome face, the gentle, fang-toothed smile… "I'm… I'm ready."

Ryouga saw fear in her gaze, but he saw something else, too: she _did_ want this. He gently put his hands on her shoulders; she tensed slightly, then relaxed. He smiled, a loving smile, not a lecherous one. He leaned forward, and she did too, and their lips met, and slowly, slowly, Ranko's arms went up around his neck, and his arms went around her.

_I'm… I'm kissing a boy. I'm really kissing a boy. How do I feel?_ The warmth that spread throughout her was her answer: she felt _wonderful_. After years of feeling uneasy about her sexuality, years of feeling comfortable with neither girls nor boys, this felt undeniably _right_. After a few moments more, they separated. She smiled up at him, and tears started to fall from her eyes.

He frowned. "You're crying… What's wrong?"

She shook her head, smiling and crying at the same time. "Nothing's wrong. I… for so long, I didn't feel like I could share something like that with anyone. Boys felt wrong, but so did girls. I… I thought I was going to spend the rest of my life alone. But… but now that I'm a girl again, _something_ finally feels _right_."

She sniffled, and her voice grew heavy with emotion. "I… I thought I would never, ever feel what I felt when we kissed just now… I… I'm really a girl… I really am…" She lost her voice, and threw herself against him again, her arms wrapped tightly around him. He brought his arms back up and held her gently, as she cried from relief, years of fear and anxiety melting away.

He grinned. "You needed a kiss to tell you you were a girl? I could have told you that." She nodded into his chest as she cried, but didn't say anything.

After a while, she pulled away again, smiling. "Th-thank you. I… I really enjoyed that. I was so scared I wouldn't." She blushed. "Thank you."

He smiled. "I enjoyed it too." For a moment, they said nothing, and just looked into each other's eyes.

Ryouga finally spoke. "I… I guess I should let you go inside, and get going. I can't very well move in with the Tendous." He seemed to steel himself. "Can I take you out again?"

She hesitated a moment, then nodded. A frown appeared on her face. "But if you leave now, when will that happen?"

He shook his head. "Don't worry. I'll be back soon. I just know it." He grinned his fang-toothed grin, and she smiled back; his fangs really were kinda… cute. "See ya." He waved, and walked off, his happiness showing in his stride.

Ranko watched him go until he was out of sight, then turned to go inside. She nearly jumped out of her skin when she found herself facing Nabiki.

"O-oneechan! What are you doing here?" Ranko tried to calm her pounding heart.

Nabiki shook her head. "I told you. He's on probation. I wanted to make sure he really was a gentleman, the way Akane is always saying." She grinned. "He passed." _And I got some pictures, too…_

She looked over Ranko, who was still hyperventilating. "Sorry about that, kiddo. Come on, let's go inside."

Inside, Ranko found the entire family looking at her expectantly as she took her coat off. She tried hard not to laugh at the anxious expression on her father's face.

"How was it, dear?"

Ranko smiled at her mother. "Very nice. I enjoyed myself. Ryouga was a perfect gentleman." Akane smiled and nodded her head. "He asked me out again… whenever he manages to show up again." She giggled.

Her father cleared his throat. "Did… did you…"

Ranko looked at him, confused. "Did I what?"

He swallowed. "You… you know…"

"Kiss him?" Her father nodded.

Ranko sighed. "Yes, Father. It's expected on a first date. Don't worry, it wasn't steamy or anything." She fluttered her eyelashes and dropped her voice into a sultry tone. "That's for next time…" Everyone laughed as her father turned bright red.

After a round of congratulations, everyone turned back to what they had been doing, or seemed to. Ranko noticed that Akane and her mother quietly followed her up the stairs as she went to her room. She wasn't surprised when they followed her in, and closed the door.

"Well?" asked Akane.

"Well what?"

"How was it? Really?"

Ranko looked confused. "Well, he took me to a nice restaurant, and a good movie. We talked a lot. It was a wonderful evening." She smiled. "I enjoyed all of it."

Akane smiled and nodded. "And what about the end?"

Ranko blushed and looked down. "The end?"

Akane sighed, went over to take Ranko by the hand, and led her to the bed, where they sat down. "The end. Where he kissed you."

Ranko blushed again, and nodded. "I was really worried about that. After twelve years as a boy, the idea of kissing a boy was… really hard for me. I… I knew I didn't want to kiss girls, I knew I liked boys, but I… I just didn't know if I could do it." She paused for a few moments. "I wanted to try it, though. I tried as hard as I could to forget I had been a boy, and then told him to go ahead."

"And?"

Ranko smiled sheepishly. "I… I guess I am a girl after all. I keep surprising myself that way. I thought it would gross me out, I thought it would feel like when Sanzenin kissed me, but it didn't, not at all. It… it felt wonderful. I felt all warm inside. And I was so happy I cried… finally, kissing someone felt _right_." She touched her lips, and sighed. "He sure knows how to kiss, too… I didn't really want to stop."

Nodoka and Akane laughed. Akane squeezed Ranko's hand. "That's wonderful, Sis! I'm so glad this is working out for you." She reached over and gave Ranko a hug.

Nodoka regarded her daughter carefully. "How do you feel about him, dear?"

Ranko's face fell a little. "He's a really nice boy. I enjoyed the time I spent with him tonight; he was fun to be with. He's handsome, and… and a good kisser, too. But…"

Akane smiled sadly. "No fireworks, huh?" She had been hoping they would click together.

Ranko sighed and shook her head. "No, I… I don't think so. I just don't think I feel the same way about him that he seems to feel about me. I mean, I like him, he's a wonderful friend, but…"

"Give it time, dear. Go on a few more dates. You might find that your feelings for him will come out over time, and if that happens, you can take it from there. If not, well, we don't usually find the love of our life on our first date, and there are plenty more fish in the sea."

Ranko nodded. "I know. It's just painfully obvious how much he cares about me, is all. I'm worried I'll hurt him."

Akane shook her head. "He's a big boy, Sis. He knows what dating is for. Who knows, he might even find that he's not as head over heels as he thinks."

Ranko wasn't sure whether she wished that would happen or not.

* * *

Ranko knew something was up the moment she and Akane walked into their homeroom Monday morning. A sizable fraction of the female eyes in the room locked on to her, and followed her as she made her way to her seat.

_Why are they looking at me? And why do they all have smug grins on their… uh oh._

It all came out at lunch, and it didn't take long to spread around the whole school. Ranko's friends commiserated with her as they ate in the cafeteria.

Sayuri sighed. "It's your red hair and that bandanna he wears, Ranko-chan. You guys are like celebrities. People recognize you anywhere."

Yuka nodded. "Uchibara is such a gossip, and she didn't even see it herself! Her brother mentioned he'd seen a Japanese girl with red hair, because that's so unusual. She asked him what the girl looked like, and when he said petite, pretty, and… uh, well, I won't give the whole description, but she recognized it was you. Then, being nosy, she asked what you were doing, and he said the girl had been on the arm of a really muscular guy with a fang-toothed smile, wearing a bandanna, and they'd been coming out of the same movie theater he'd gone to. That was enough."

Ranko smiled and shook her head. "It's OK, I guess. It's not like I was trying to keep it a secret."

Her friends looked at each other. "So… how was it?" asked Ukyou.

"Ucchan! We're in the cafeteria! It's not exactly the place for a conversation like this."

Ukyou blinked and looked around. "I guess you're right… After school?" Ranko nodded.

Later that afternoon, Ranko and her closest friends were all sitting in her room at the Tendou home. She repeated the details she had shared with Akane and her mother.

Shampoo sighed. "Who would guess he would be such a good kisser?" Everyone giggled.

Sayuri said, "Ranko-chan, you say you're not sure about him?"

Ranko shook her head. "He's attractive and he's a good friend, and I like him, and can he kiss, but… I don't know… I was expecting something more. It just didn't feel like love." She looked around. "Please don't pass this on, guys. I want to try dating him a bit more, and who knows, it might work out. Also, if this got back to him, I know he would be hurt." Ranko got earnest nods from her friends.

She sighed. "I don't know, maybe I shouldn't be so fussy…"

Yuka shook her head. "Ranko-chan, if you don't love him, it can't last. That's the most important ingredient."

Ranko nodded. "I… I don't think I love him, but this is all so new to me… I'm just not sure about anything."

Akane gave her a quick hug. "If you're not sure, Sis, then you're doing the right thing, like your mom said. Go on a few more dates with him and see how you feel." The others all nodded.

Ukyou grinned. "So, Ranchan, you've taken the next step. You've gone on a date with a boy, you've kissed him. How do you feel about that?"

Ranko looked at the ceiling and thought. "I still have all this stuff sitting in the back of my mind from being a boy. There's a part of me that keeps expecting that I'll hate each new 'girl experience' when I have it." She laughed. "So far, it hasn't happened. I'm starting to learn to ignore that part of me." She smiled. "It feels wonderful. Everything has felt wonderful. I'm… I'm glad I'm a girl." Akane and Ranko looked at each other and smiled.

As the others watched her, her smile slowly disappeared and her face clouded. Akane leaned forward and put a hand on Ranko's arm. "Sis? What's wrong?"

Ranko bit her lip. "I haven't been through one yet, but I'm guessing breakups don't feel wonderful." Her brow knit in worry.

She noticed that no one tried to contradict her.

* * *

Ranko sighed in exasperation, and lowered her bow and violin.

Kobayakawa-sensei put her hand over her eyes and rubbed her forehead. "Try it again."

Ranko drooped. "But Sensei… I've already tried it eight times! I… I just don't think I can get this passage today."

Sensei knit her brow. "You should be able to do it. Some of the other passages you've mastered are harder than this one."

Ranko bowed her head. "I know, but…"

Sensei thought for a moment. "Why don't we take a little break, Ranko-chan? You've been working hard today. Let's just sit down for a moment."

Ranko nodded, a little confused. "OK…"

They sat at adjacent desks in the music room. Ranko planted her elbows on the worn wooden desk, put her chin on her hands, and sighed. Her face was glum.

"What is it, Ranko-chan? What's wrong?"

"I… this piece is just so much harder than what we were doing before. I feel like it's taking forever, like I'm never going to learn it."

Sensei looked at the calendar on the wall. "Ranko-chan, we've only got a bit over three weeks left. I think you can master this, but you might have to put more time into it." She thought. "Can you put in more than 20 minutes a day at home? Can we meet twice a week instead of once? I think we can get you ready with a schedule like that."

A fearful look passed over Ranko's face. "I… I don't know Sensei. Maybe…"

Sensei bit her lip. Through the student grapevine, through halting conversations with Ranko herself, she had found out much of the history of her star pupil. She knew she couldn't push Ranko into this; she was terribly gun-shy from what her father had done to her. She was trying her best to gently encourage the girl to apply herself, but it was taking time. Ranko reminded her of her niece by marriage; the girl's mother had pushed her unmercifully to develop her skill in figure skating, until she had abruptly rebelled and turned her back on the whole thing.

She sighed. "Ranko-chan, maybe… maybe we should give up on this, for now, and work on it next term. Maybe you should play that Tchaikovsky piece after all."

Ranko sat up a little. "Wh-what?"

Sensei placed her hand gently on Ranko's arm. "I'm not saying to give up for good. But we've only got three weeks left, and we're running out of time. There's always next term."

Ranko looked miserable. "I… maybe you're right…"

Sensei looked her over carefully. "Let's try this. Why don't you see how much you can practice, and how much progress you can make by next week? We'll evaluate things then. I'm sure you can easily be ready to play the Tchaikovsky piece in two weeks, so if we have to give up on the Bach then we won't be out of time. OK?"

Ranko nodded slowly. "O-OK…"

Ranko walked home slowly that day, feeling terrible. She had never had to give up on something before; she had never been defeated. But she just wasn't sure she had it in her. She didn't even want to go to the bridge to think; she just wanted to be with her family, as soon as possible.

She wasn't watching where she was going, and was startled when she felt herself bump into someone. She straightened up and backed away as she heard the cry of a baby, and looked up.

A young woman, who looked oddly familiar, was pulling her wailing infant out of the baby carrier she was wearing and trying to placate it. "There, there, there, it was just a little bump. There's no need to cry…"

Ranko bowed deeply, mortified. "gomen nasai… please forgive me…"

Her head was still bowed as she heard the woman reply, "Oh, please, there's no need for that! I remember doing the same thing myself." She continued to jostle the infant in an attempt to quiet it down, as Ranko straightened up.

The woman smiled. "Teenagers always seem to have a lot on their minds." Ranko smiled back timidly, and wondered where she knew this woman from.

The woman lifted the infant up to her face. "Who's my baby? _You_ are!" She touched her nose to the infant's. "Who's my baby? _You_ are!" she repeated. After playing this game a couple of times, the baby started to laugh, and her mother smiled back at her. Crisis under control.

She looked back at the petite redhead she had bumped into, and couldn't help smiling. The girl was watching her and the baby intently, and had a kind of slack-jawed, lovestruck look on her face. She tried hard not to giggle; every time she went out with her baby, she got this kind of reaction from junior high and high school girls. It was getting to be rather predictable. Something else about this girl looked familiar, though…

"Would you like to hold her? Her name is Miki."

Ranko's face lit up. "May I?" Miki's mother nodded, and Ranko put down her briefcase and violin.

Ranko gingerly cradled the baby in her arms. "No, no, not like that. You have to put your arm there, to support her head. Haven't you held a baby before?" Ranko shook her head nervously.

Miki's mother was nonplussed. "How unusual, for a girl your age! Well, there's a first time for everything."

Ranko looked down at Miki, who looked back up at her in a wary, owlish way. Miki's eyes scanned her face intently, then suddenly, the infant's face lit up in a huge smile. "Gaaaaaah!", she exclaimed happily.

Ranko felt her heart melt, and found her voice shifting into baby talk without thinking. "Miki-chan… aren't _you_ the cutest little thing! Yes you are!" She touched a finger to Miki's nose, and the little girl squealed with delight.

Miki's mother smiled at the show, then blinked as she took another, closer look at the redhead. "Haven't we met before? You live with the Tendou family, don't you? I think I ran into you at the park a few months ago, when Miki was a newborn."

Inwardly, Noriko boggled. The girl was so different! She wouldn't have recognized her at all except for the red hair and those startling blue eyes. The girl seemed to be all of a piece now, harmonious, not an enigmatic mosaic as she'd seemed before. The incongruous hints of masculinity were gone. She wondered what had happened.

Ranko looked up, a huge smile on her face. "Yes, Ma'am, that was me." She giggled. "I was wondering why you looked familiar!" She inclined her head. "My name is Saotome Ranko."

Noriko looked confused. "That's… odd. I've heard the name, but I thought it was Saotome Ranma, a boy…"

_So did I._ "No, Ma'am, I'm a girl."

"Obviously—I'm sorry. I must have misunderstood Kasumi-san." The woman inclined her head. "I'm Kobuchizawa Noriko, Ranko-chan." She laughed. "You can come visit Miki if you like. She seems to like you." Ranko smiled, and Noriko winked. "I can always use another babysitter." They both laughed.

Ranko's gaze was drawn back to Miki by an "Eeeeeee?" She looked down to find the little girl with a cross look on her face, which immediately changed to a smile once she had Ranko's attention again.

Ranko laughed. "What, you have to be the center of attention?" The baby gurgled happily. "I guess so."

She played with Miki for a few minutes more, until Noriko interrupted. "Ranko-chan, I'm so sorry but I have to go prepare dinner." Ranko reluctantly handed the baby back; Miki looked upset, but on seeing her mother again was happy.

Noriko eyed the redhead. "You really can come visit, you know. You seem like a very nice girl." She pulled a name card out of her purse, and handed it to Ranko. "Here's my address. Fair's fair; I know where you live, so now you know where I live. It's the big apartment building near the park. Stop by some time; I'm sure Miki would be happy to see you."

Ranko smiled; a strange set of emotions swirled through her. "Th-thank you, Kobuchizawa-san. I… I will." With a small bow, they were each on their way. Ranko giggled as she heard another exclamation from Miki drift down the street.

As she walked home, the smile on Ranko's face slowly faded away.

* * *

End Chapter 10

Monday, September 11, 2000

**Copyright Notice**

The characters and stories of Ranma ½ are Copyright © Rumiko Takahashi, and are used here without permission or license.

No claims to the above copyright are made by the author of this work.

This work is for non-commercial use ONLY, and is produced for the enjoyment of fans only.

This work is the expression of the author and the depiction of the Ranma ½ characters herein are in no way represented to be a part of Ranma ½ as depicted by the original author and copyright holder(s).


	11. Chapter 11: Turning Points

Genma's Daughter

By ClassicalGal

Original concept and parts of chapter 1 by Nesin Evets

Chapter 11: Turning Points

* * *

"Sis? Can I come in?"

After a short pause, a listless voice floated out from inside. "Sure…"

Akane entered, then slid the door shut behind her. Ranko was sitting on her bed, morose, with her doll Kasumi clutched in her lap. Akane followed Ranko's gaze over to the desk, where her violin sat. _Uh oh…_

She went over to sit next to her sister. "What's wrong, Sis? You disappeared up here as soon as you came home."

Ranko bit her lip. "I can't do it."

Akane was confused. "Can't do what?"

Ranko sighed. "That Bach piece. There's no way I'll be ready in time." She bowed her head. "Sensei said maybe… maybe it's time to give up on it for the recital."

Akane put a hand on Ranko's arm. "Sis, you can do it. I've seen you do things I wouldn't have believed possible if I hadn't seen them myself."

Ranko didn't look up. "I told you, that was Saotome Ranma, not Saotome Ranko."

Akane found herself getting angry. "Why does that matter? What does that have to do with it?"

Ranko looked up, her eyes wet and her voice thick, and Akane's anger evaporated instantly. "I don't know if I have it in me now, Sis. I just don't know."

Akane felt her heart ache. She was sure Ranko could do this and far more—but her sister seemed to be her own biggest obstacle at the moment.

Ranko fussed with Kasumi. "Maybe… maybe I should just be happy being a mother when I get married." A small smile lit her face briefly. "I think I'm going to like that…"

A chill ran up Akane's spine. "Sis, that… that's something I'm also looking forward to, but… but you don't have to give up your other dreams, too!" She was worried; she had never seen her sister with such a defeatist attitude.

Ranko bit her lip. "But… I'm a girl now… and…"

Akane was shocked; she had thought this issue was long since dealt with. She tried to find her voice. "You… you think that because you're a girl, you can't do what you want?"

Ranko looked Akane in the eye, and Akane flinched; she saw despair in Ranko's gaze. "Isn't it going to be a problem? Isn't it true?"

Akane wanted to brush aside her sister's objections, but couldn't. Ranko was right: being a woman was an additional obstacle to any kind of achievement, especially so in Japan. She tried to find something to say. "It… it's a problem, yes, but not a reason to give up! You can overcome it!"

Ranko lowered her head again. "Maybe…"

Akane sighed in frustration. She turned her gaze away, and one of the martial arts posters caught her eye. Bruce Lee; he'd always been one of Ranma's favorites. She looked at the next poster, then the next, and was suddenly thunderstruck.

_Guys. They're __**all**__ guys. Ranko lives in this room every day, and her examples of success are __**all guys**__._

Akane had been surprised at how quickly Ranko had stopped making demeaning remarks about women and their place in the world after she became a girl again, which is why her words came as such a shock. As she observed her morose sister, though, she was convinced that the misogynistic poison Ranko had listened to for twelve years was still at work—but on the inside, not the outside. Instead of telling Akane that she was a weak, stupid girl, she was telling herself that she was a weak, stupid girl. Maybe not in so many words, but…

_I… I have to find a way for her to see that she can still do whatever she wants, even though she's a girl now. I have to find some role models for her._ Akane bit her lip as she realized that that was a tall order in Japan. _Let's see… Kasumi is a homemaker. Her mother is a homemaker. I'm still figuring out what I want to do with my life. Who do we know who is ambitious, driven, an achiever…_

_Of course._

* * *

Nabiki's eyebrows shot up. "You want me to be a _role model_ for her?"

She regarded her little sister, who had asked to speak with her in private after dinner, with no little incredulity. Nabiki was sitting at her desk while Akane sat on her big sister's bed.

Akane's eyes pleaded. "Please, Oneechan. She needs someone to show her that a girl can do whatever she wants. Right now, all that sexist stuff Uncle told her is making her feel she can't do anything. I'm sure that's what's holding her back! I don't know if she's even aware of it at a conscious level, but whenever I tell her she's done so many amazing things, that she can do anything she wants, she says 'that was Saotome Ranma, not Saotome Ranko.' It makes me want to strangle her!"

Nabiki ventured a wry smile. "Well, I think I can be more helpful than that, at least." Akane blushed in embarrassment.

Nabiki's smile faded. "I think you might be right, Akane. I have a hunch there's something more here, too. She's still recovering from what happened to her and she still has… problems. Kami-sama, who wouldn't after what happened to her? Let me think…" Akane watched her sister anxiously as she pondered the situation for a few minutes.

Finally, Nabiki spoke. "I'm not so sure if _I_ can be a role model for her, but I do have an idea…"

The next morning, after sparring with her father, Ranko wandered into the kitchen. Kasumi was busy getting breakfast ready.

Ranko looked around. "Hi, Oneechan. Where are Akane and Nabiki-neechan?"

Kasumi turned around and smiled. "They said they had an errand to run downtown this morning. They ate breakfast early and left." She eyed Ranko. "Would you like to help me?"

Ranko smiled, and nodded. She enjoyed helping her mother, and helping Kasumi was just as much fun. She put on an apron and followed Kasumi's direction.

She was pleased at the compliments she got from Uncle Tendou and her father for her part of breakfast. Maybe being a housewife wouldn't be such a bad thing…

As lunchtime came and went, and the afternoon dragged on, she was just starting to wonder what Akane and Nabiki could possibly be up to when Kasumi called her name.

"Ranko-chan, I have to do the shopping for dinner. Would you like to come help me?"

"Sure, Oneechan! Just let me get my purse." Ranko scurried up the stairs.

While she was waiting, Kasumi glanced at her watch and bit her lip. Ranko came back down, and they left. Ranko wondered why Kasumi seemed to be in such a hurry to get out of the house.

An hour and a half later, they were back with a huge bundle of groceries. Ranko was a bit surprised; Kasumi had said they were just going for the dinner shopping, but it seemed that at every store they had visited, she had seen one thing or another that she had forgotten about but absolutely had to get. The trip had dragged on forever…

She spied Nabiki's and Akane's coats as she hung up her own; at least they were back. She helped Kasumi unload and put away the groceries, then excused herself. "I want to see what Akane and Nabiki-neechan were up to today. I'll come back later and help with dinner, OK?" Kasumi smiled and nodded.

After a quick tour of the house, Ranko was mystified. Where could they be? She headed up to her room to put her purse away. She slid open the door…

Akane and Nabiki were in her room, Nabiki at the desk and Akane on the bed. They were both eyeing her, their arms folded.

Ranko was perplexed. "What's going on? Were you waiting for me?" Something caught her eye, and she gasped. Her posters! All her martial arts posters were gone! Instead, the room was full of posters of women, women she didn't even recognize.

"What… what did you do? Why did you replace all my posters?"

Nabiki swiveled the chair around to face her. "Akane tells me that you have some doubts about what you can do now that you're a girl." She leaned forward. "I have a little problem with that point of view."

Suddenly Ranko felt nervous. "Re-really?"

Nabiki nodded. "Really. I happen to believe that a woman can do whatever she sets her mind to. I know _I_ plan to do what I want. I know Akane will, too." Her gaze intensified. "I think you could, too—if you would try."

Ranko lowered her head. "I'm… I'm sorry, Oneechan. I guess… I guess I'm a disappointment to you."

Nabiki leaned back in her chair. "That's not important. What's important is, are you a disappointment to yourself?"

Ranko stared at Nabiki for a moment, then squeezed her eyes shut; tears appeared at the corners. She nodded. "Yes…"

Akane moved to get off the bed and go to Ranko, but Nabiki shook her head and motioned for her to stay put. "Why is that?"

Ranko opened her eyes; they were wet. "I… I just find it hard to believe I can really succeed. I'm a woman. A Japanese woman." She swallowed. "I mean, most really successful people are guys, especially in Japan. Why should I be any different? I should just… face facts." Her lips were a thin line.

Having her suspicions confirmed didn't make Akane feel one bit better. She would have pounded Ranma for saying things like this about her, but Ranko was turning this on herself. She wanted to cry, but couldn't let herself.

Nabiki also had a hard time maintaining her neutral expression in the face of the pain she saw in her little sister's face, but she had to. "Are you sure? Maybe we should take a look at some of the women who are decorating your wall now."

Ranko looked over the posters on her wall. Athletes, astronauts, world leaders, martial artists. She found one she recognized, and smiled: Michelle Yueh, the martial arts film star. She came to a young woman playing a violin, and read the name: "Anne-Sophie Mutter?"

Nabiki nodded. "A violinist." She smiled, for the first time. "She's not Japanese, but she's the only female violinist I could… get a poster of." Akane giggled, and Nabiki chuckled herself.

Her expression grew serious again. "She plays all over the world, Ranko. She has dozens of recordings."

Ranko thought. "But she's a Westerner. Women are more respected there."

Nabiki nodded. "A little more, yes. How about the woman next to her?"

Ranko moved to the next poster. A Japanese woman in her late fifties, but with a youthful air, looked back at her, a cheerful expression on her face. She looked entirely ordinary, like a neighbor you would meet at the market. Ranko read the legend. "Tabei Junko?" She screwed up her face. "I don't think I've ever heard of her… At least she's Japanese. What did she do?"

Nabiki smiled. "She was the first woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest, Ranko. A Japanese woman."

Ranko's jaw fell open. This ordinary-looking Japanese woman… had climbed Mount Everest? Had been the first woman to do so?

"And she looks like she's just a housewife…" she whispered. Akane rolled her eyes, but said nothing.

Nabiki's smile widened. "Speaking of which, she's married and had two kids. That didn't stop her. She's climbed mountains all over the world, on every continent."

Ranko, slightly shocked, wandered over to sit on the bed, lost in thought. She looked up, and her eyes started to wander over the posters on her walls.

Nabiki motioned to Akane with her eyes, and they both got up, Akane moving to the door. Nabiki walked over to the bed and held something out to Ranko.

Ranko looked at what Nabiki was holding. "CDs?" She took them and looked at the labels. "Uchida Mitsuko? Nishizaki Takako?" She blinked. "Midori? Just 'Midori'?"

Nabiki nodded. "All female. All Japanese. All classical musicians. A pianist and two violinists. Why don't you try listening to them—and see if you think their being girls means they're not good enough?"

Ranko flinched as if she had been slapped. In essence, that _had_ been what she was saying, hadn't it? "But… Oneechan…" she looked around the room at the posters, at the CDs in her hand. "These are all really exceptional women." She lowered her gaze.

Nabiki knelt, took Ranko by the shoulders, and looked her straight in the eye. "You could be too, Ranko, no matter what you do with your life—if you would only let yourself do it. You were exceptional when you were Ranma. Why should you be any different now?"

"But… but that's just it! That was when I was Ranma." Her voice grew heavy. "I… I don't want to be Ranma any more." Her eyes brimmed with tears. "I _can't_ be Ranma any more!"

Nabiki's eyebrows shot up. So, there _had_ been another issue lurking behind all this.

Akane just looked confused. "Why would you have to be Ranma again? I don't understand."

Ranko's eyes lost focus, and she spoke softly. "I was so arrogant, so cocky… so incredibly egotistical. I had to enter and win every single contest, no matter how stupid it was, no matter whether it… it hurt the people I cared about. I dressed up in a _bunny suit_ so I could beat Tsubasa selling okonomiyaki, because I just _had_ to win." She shuddered. "You were right about me, Sis. I _was_ a jerk. I can't be Ranma any more. It makes me feel ill just to think about it."

Akane tried to hold back her own tears. _Why did I have to call her so many names?_

Nabiki nodded slightly in understanding. She moved her hands off Ranko's shoulders and took her hands. "That's true. You can't be that way any more." Akane looked shocked by Nabiki's statement.

Ranko nodded sadly. "So, you see… I… I just can't…"

"Ranko, do I seem cocky, or arrogant, or egostistical to you? Does Akane?"

Ranko considered that, for longer than Nabiki was happy with. "Well… not really, no…"

_Not really?_ "Do you think we have confidence in our own abilities? Are we sure of ourselves?"

Ranko looked confused. "Of… of course…"

Nabiki nodded. "Ranko, you can't be Ranma any more, it's true. But you still have all the same talents, all the same good qualities. In fact, you have more: it wasn't Ranma who learned to play the violin, it was you. You don't have to be Ranma to be exceptional. You just have to believe you can do it. You weren't successful when you were Ranma because of your arrogance and ego—look at Kunou!—but because you have great talent, and you believed in that talent and in yourself. That's self-confidence, not arrogance."

Her voice softened. "There's nothing wrong with a girl having self-confidence. In fact, it's even more important for us than for boys, because everyone is always telling us we can't do things, and… and sometimes we start to believe that ourselves…" She trailed off, lost in thought for a moment.

She shook her head and looked around the room. "Do you think all these women got where they did by worrying about whether they were good enough because they were girls? They _had_ to believe in themselves. You have to, too. You just have to find a new way to do it, as Ranko, not the way Ranma did."

Ranko gulped and nodded, then looked down.

Nabiki stood and went to join Akane at the door, then turned back. The gasoline had been poured; time to toss the match. "By the way, I had to have most of these posters made up special at a custom print shop today."

Ranko looked up, shock on her face. "Wh-what?"

Nabiki looked around. "All of these women accomplished something really special, but you couldn't find a poster of them anywhere in Tokyo to save your life, with a few exceptions. I stayed up late last night using my computer to lay out posters using photos I found on the web, then had them printed out today." She sighed. "I guess some people don't think women are worth commemorating with a poster."

She slid the door closed behind Akane and herself, smiling in satisfaction as she noted Ranko's face contort in anger. _We have ignition…_

Akane swallowed. "Oneechan, weren't you a little… hard on her in places?"

Nabiki's raised an eyebrow. "This from the woman whose favorite method of getting her point across was the nearest piece of furniture—or a mallet?"

Akane had the good grace to blush.

Nabiki sighed and put her hand over her eyes. "This touchy-feely stuff is hard for me… I'm going to go take a little nap." She moved to go to her room.

"Oneechan?"

"Mmm?" Nabiki turned back.

Akane smiled broadly. "Thank you. I knew you could help."

Nabiki smiled back. "Anytime, kiddo."

Meanwhile, Ranko was furious. All these women had accomplished things she only dreamed of, and no one thought they were worth putting on a poster? She hung her head in shame as she realized that she herself didn't know who most of these women were.

The CDs in her hand caught her attention. She read aloud: "Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto; Six Chinese Violin Pieces… Nishizaki Takako, violin." A smile flitted across her face for a moment. "Chinese?" She was starting to appreciate Oneechan's subtle sense of humor.

She got up and went over to the CD player on her desk, and put the CD in. As it played, she looked over the posters on her walls a little, but mostly she just sat and listened intently, her brow furrowed.

An hour later, when the CD was over, she got up and went over to look in her mirror. She regarded the redhead looking back at her with a somber expression, studying her carefully. Once, her gaze shifted briefly to the poster of Tabei Junko, then back to her own reflection.

After a couple of minutes, a single word passed her lips, spoken sharply as if in judgment: "Baka." She shook her head, then turned towards her desk, and gazed at her violin. Slowly, her face relaxed into a smile.

* * *

That night, as the evening drew on, Akane wondered where Ranko was. She had seemed more cheerful at dinner, so Akane had been surprised when she had disappeared again as soon as it was over. She hoped that Ranko wasn't moping in her room again, and went to go check.

She knocked on the door. "Sis?" There was no answer.

She cautiously slid the door open, then turned the light on. Ranko wasn't here… Where on Earth could she be?

She was about to close the door when she suddenly had the impression that something about the room was different, had changed from the way it had been just a few hours ago. She wasn't quite sure just what it was. She mentally catalogued everything: the furniture, the bed, the dolls and stuffed animals, Ranko's makeup and jewelry boxes, Ranko's violin… that was it: Ranko's violin was missing. And so were her music stand and music books.

Akane frowned. Ranko had gone off somewhere, taking her violin with her. Where could she have gone?

She headed downstairs, back towards the living room. As she passed the door which led towards the Dojo, she happened to glance out the window, and noticed there was a light on in the other building. She paused, then walked over to the door and opened it, shivering in the face of the frigid breeze that bullied its way in. With the door open, she could now hear the sounds of Ranko's violin emanating from the Dojo.

She slammed the door shut, and went to get her coat and scarf, then went back and slipped out. She walked down the connecting walkway to the Dojo, and as she walked up to the door, she heard the strains of the Bach partita for solo violin drifting out, ending suddenly in a missed note. There was a short pause, then Ranko's voice: "Mouuu!"

Akane took advantage of the break and knocked. "Sis? It's me."

Akane heard footsteps; then the door slid open, and she couldn't help laughing. Ranko stood there, once again bundled up with nothing showing but her blue eyes between her scarf and hat, her violin and bow in her hand. Her hands, bare out of necessity, looked white from the cold.

"Hey!" she protested, her eyes smiling. "Can I help it if this place isn't heated?"

Akane entered the Dojo, sliding the door shut behind her. "Why are you practicing out here?"

Ranko turned and walked back to her music stand. "I wanted to practice, a lot. I didn't want to bother everyone. And I wanted to be able to make lots of mistakes without having everyone hear them." She looked around. "Besides, I'm used to training in a place like this." She giggled.

Akane smiled and walked over to join her. "You've decided to practice more?"

Ranko nodded. "Yes. I… I don't want to quit. Not now. I want to play this piece at the recital." She looked off into a corner of the Dojo, and seemed to have something more on her mind. Akane waited patiently.

Ranko sighed. "I'm still really just starting out. When I was Ranma, when I lived for martial arts, I was one of the best. I… after Nabiki-neechan's, ummm, lecture" she smiled, "I can say that now, without feeling like a braggart. I was really, really good, and… and I could be again—if I wanted to. Even though I'm a weak, stupid, silly girl now." Her eyes laughed, and Akane laughed with her.

She paused for a moment. "I don't know if I'll ever be as good with the violin as I was with martial arts. But I want to find out. If I can be even half as good a violinist as I was a martial artist, I'll be happy, because the violin makes me happy in a way that martial arts can't. Because… because when I play the violin… I use my heart." Akane nodded in understanding.

She looked down. "If I give up now, if I just make it a 'hobby', I'll never know what I could have done with it." She looked up at Akane. "Do you know what the idea of giving up made me think of?" Akane shook her head. "It made me think of Miki."

"Miki? Who is Miki?"

"A baby I met on the way home yesterday. She's just starting out. No one knows what she's going to be like, what she can do, what her potential is." Ranko's eyes grew serious. "My talent for violin reminds me of her. I… I want to help it grow up, to see just what it can be, just as if it were _my_ baby. In a way, my martial arts skill was Father's baby, but my violin is mine."

She paused for a while, lost in thought. "And… I feel like I owe it to Miki to try my best to succeed as a girl, so that when she's trying to find her own talent, she… she doesn't have to fight herself quite as hard as I have." Her eyes crinkled, and Akane could almost see the grin behind the scarf. "Maybe I can be a poster on _her_ wall."

Her gaze turned serious. "Thanks, Sis. You and Nabiki-neechan helped me straighten out my head, just a little." She laughed. "It still needs work, though." She and Akane just looked at each other for a few moments, communicating without words.

Akane was smiling broadly, and had tears in her eyes. "You're welcome." She thought a moment. "I think I'd like to meet this Miki."

Ranko nodded. "I did promise her a visit."

Akane smiled, and turned to leave, then stopped and turned back. "Do you mind if I watch you practice?" Ranko shook her head, and Akane went over to sit against the wall.

She turned back to Ranko as she sat down. She shivered; the mats on the floor could get awfully cold. "So, how is the Bach piece coming?"

Ranko giggled. "It's awful."

Akane was confused. "And you're happy about that?"

Ranko lifted her violin to her scarf, and raised her bow. "Yes. Because it's not as awful as it was right after dinner."

* * *

Kobayakawa-sensei smiled and called out goodbyes as the students filed out of her classroom. She started to pack her things into her briefcase; she was finished at Shakuji High School for the day. She sighed; she was tired of teaching at two different high schools every week, but there just weren't enough high school students interested in music as an elective to justify a full-time teacher at either Shakuji or Fuurinkan. If she wanted to go back to teaching elementary school kids, that was a different story, but she liked working with older teens.

Tomorrow was Tuesday, a Fuurinkan day. That thought made her think of her favorite pupil, and she shook her head. She wondered what shape the Bach piece would be in when Ranko came for her lesson on Friday.

As she was packing, a movement in the corner of her eye caught her attention, and she turned to the door.

"Ranko-chan!" she gasped. "What are you doing here?" She noted the serious expression on the girl's face, and the violin case in her hand. _Oh, Kami-sama, please tell me she's not here to give it back…_

Ranko walked into the classroom. "I'm sorry to bother you, Sensei. I… I didn't want to wait until you were at Fuurinkan tomorrow to talk to you. The office told me that you taught here on Mondays."

Sensei nodded uncertainly. "What… what did you want to talk about that couldn't wait until tomorrow?"

Ranko bit her lip. "I… I practiced some more this weekend, and I wanted to… to see if you thought I would be ready to play the Bach piece."

Sensei sagged in relief, and a smile came to her face. "Of course, Ranko-chan! Why don't I sit down, and you can play it for me." She sat at one of the desks.

Ranko got out her violin and sheet music, placing the latter on one of the music stands that dotted the room. She spent a minute tuning, then lifted the violin to her chin. She closed her eyes and tried to calm her nerves.

After a few moments, she was at peace, and she launched into the Gavotte en Rondeau. Sensei listened intently as she made her way through it. Her gaze never wavered in the three minutes or so that Ranko took to finish.

Ranko sighed, and lowered her violin. She was still making mistakes, still tripping over the challenging parts. She knew it was better, but it was nowhere near ready for a public performance. She looked up at Sensei…

Who was staring at her, eyes wide. "How much did you practice this weekend?" she whispered.

"About… about three hours on Saturday, and three and a half on Sunday." She sagged a little. "I wish it were better. I worked really hard, but it's hard to tell."

Sensei smiled, and felt tears coming. Three hours a day? "Ranko-chan, you don't understand. When you played this on Friday, it was a set of disconnected passages. When you played it just now, it was the Gavotte en Rondeau of the Bach Partita for solo violin in E major. There were still lots of mistakes and rough parts, true, but you've made tremendous progress."

Hope lit Ranko's eyes. "Is… is there enough time? Before the recital?"

Sensei nodded, tears in her eyes.

Ranko smiled. "I… I want to do this. I want to play this piece at the recital." Suddenly, Sensei saw something in Ranko's eyes she had never seen before: fire. "And I don't want it to just be 'OK'. I want to play it perfectly. I want to nail it. I'll practice however long it takes. And…" she trailed off. "Sensei? Why are you crying?"

Kobayakawa-sensei surprised Ranko by rushing over to hug her. Ranko held her bow and violin out to either side, not having a hand free to hug her sensei back. Sensei pulled away, her hands on Ranko's shoulders.

"Sensei, what's wrong?"

Sensei shook her head. "Nothing is wrong, Ranko-chan, nothing at all. I'm happy. I'm so happy for you." She wiped her eyes.

Ranko nodded uncertainly.

Sensei smiled. "If you become a mother, or if you ever become a teacher, you'll understand."

Ranko thought of Miki, and smiled timidly. "I… I think I might know what you mean."

Sensei nodded. "I'm at Fuurinkan on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Can you meet me after school all three days?"

Ranko grinned. "I sure can."

Sensei grinned, too.

* * *

Ranko and Akane looked over the faded white concrete apartment building. Each floor had rows of evenly spaced balconies, each with a sliding glass door; most of them had laundry hung out to dry or futons being aired. In between the balconies were tiny windows, many with air conditioners in them. The place was indistinguishable from its concrete brethren which carpeted all of Tokyo.

Ranko pulled out the name card once more and looked at it, then back at the building. "I think this is the place."

"The stairs must be on the other side."

Ranko nodded, and the two of them circled around the building. Sure enough, there was a flight of stairs, and they climbed to the third floor, which matched the address on the card. After wandering past several of the gray metal doors, Ranko stopped. "Here it is. Kobuchizawa." She reached out and rang the doorbell.

"Hai!" rang out from inside, and a few moments later, the door opened. Akane looked over the attractive young woman who had answered: she looked more than a little frazzled. Hanging in a baby carrier on her chest was a baby of five or six months, who had to be Miki. Akane smiled; _she is awfully cute…_

Noriko's eyes lit up. "Ranko-chan! How nice of you to come visit! And you brought a friend!"

Meanwhile, Miki's eyes rapidly scanned the two girls in front of her, a wary expression on her face all the while. The eyes stopped suddenly on Ranko's red hair, widened, then lit up to match her mother's. She squealed in delight. "Gaaaaaaahhh!"

Ranko laughed. "I guess she remembers me."

Noriko smiled. "That red hair is hard to forget, Ranko-chan." She turned to Akane. "I'm sorry, I don't believe we've met."

Akane bowed. "I'm Tendou Akane, Ma'am."

"Oh, of course, Ranko-chan lives with your family, after all. I'm Kobuchizawa Noriko, Akane-chan. And this is Miki."

"Aaaaaaaa…" said Miki, by way of self-introduction.

Akane smiled. She was starting to see why Miki had made such an impression on Ranko.

"Why don't you come in, girls?" They stepped inside, and changed into slippers before following Noriko into the interior of the apartment. It was cramped as such apartments usually were, and baby paraphernalia were everywhere. "You can leave your school things next to the bookcase."

Noriko's eyes darted here and there, ending with a sheepish look to go with her sigh of resignation. "I'm sorry about the mess. This little lady keeps me hopping." She shrugged her shoulders. "I was trying to clean up the kitchen, but she is just giving me no rest today. I was going to take her out to the park, it being such a nice day for December, but I have so many chores piled up…"

Ranko thought for a moment. "Is there anything we can do?" Akane nodded.

Miki's mother smiled. "How nice of you! Thank you so much!"

Ranko, to her delight, was assigned the duty of keeping Miki entertained while Akane helped Noriko clean up her kitchen. While she was a kitchen menace when cooking, cleaning was something she could do just fine. She certainly had enough practice cleaning up after her own disasters…

As they worked, they both smiled at the baby talk and the squeals of joy drifting in from the living room.

Two people without a baby to distract them made short work of the kitchen, and they went back into the living room to watch Ranko play with Miki for a while. Noriko smiled; the two seemed to have a natural rapport. Ranko seemed to be very patient, too, dealing with Miki's occasional protestations calmly. Finally, Miki seemed to get upset about something, and Ranko picked her up and tried to comfort her, holding her with her head over her shoulder. The baby seemed to calm down a little, but was still obviously upset.

Ranko turned to the baby's mother, worried. "Am I doing something wrong?"

Noriko took the baby, who if anything seemed upset at leaving Ranko, but calmed down a little for her mother. Ranko stared as Noriko lifted the baby up and sniffed her. "Oho, I know what _your_ problem is, Missy! We'll take care of you in a moment."

She looked back to the redhead. Normally, she would want to get to know a babysitter a little better before doing this, but she thought herself a good judge of people, and Ranko was clearly a responsible, level-headed girl. And Miki was crazy about her. "You know, I have a little bit more cleaning I could do. How would you girls like to take Miki to the park on your own? I'll get her ready for you, and you can just bring her back in a half hour or so, or earlier if she gets upset."

Akane and Ranko looked at each other, and grinned as they thought the same thought. "We'd love to!"

Noriko smiled broadly. "This is just what I needed: _two_ more potential babysitters." She winked, and the girls laughed.

Ranko looked on with interest as Noriko shuttled to and fro, assembling a stroller, clothes, toys, and so on. "There, I think that's everything." Miki whimpered. "Oh, yes, that's right. I'd better change you before you go, young lady."

Akane nodded, and turned to say something to Ranko, but stopped short. Ranko was as white as a sheet, and was staring at Miki with very wide eyes. Miki matched her, stare for stare. "Gaaaaahhh?"

"Ch-change her?" Ranko swallowed. "Oh… oh, you poor thing… and you're… you're just a baby!" She looked up at Noriko, who had no idea what the girl was going on about. "How did it happen? What… what does she change into?"

Akane rolled her eyes. "Her diaper, Sis! Change her _diaper_!"

Ranko looked blankly at Akane, then back to Miki. "Oh…" She sagged visibly in relief, letting out a sigh in the process. Almost immediately, her face turned bright red, and she studied the floor intently, deeply embarrassed.

Noriko shook her head. "My, you really haven't been around babies at all, have you?" Ranko shook her head, her eyes still on the floor. Noriko smiled. "Well, we'll have to rectify that, won't we?" Ranko finally looked up and smiled sheepishly.

The young woman seemed struck by a thought. "Are you girls sisters? Akane-chan, you called her 'Sis'."

Ranko and Akane looked at each other. Akane said, "It's a little complicated, Ma'am. We're not really blood relatives, but we do feel almost like we are. Ranko and I were raised together from the time we were born, though we were separated for many years, too."

Ranko nodded. "I'm an only child, but Akane is my twin sister." She giggled.

Noriko smiled. "I think I understand." She looked down at Miki, who had been following the entire conversation intently. "I think it's time to get you ready for your outing, young lady."

She proceeded to lay the little girl down on a blanket, and Ranko and Akane looked on as Miki was given a clean diaper and "suited up" for her sojourn outside. Ranko turned a little pasty as she saw for the first time what was involved in changing a baby's diaper.

In due course, Miki was ensconced in her stroller, gleefully banging both arms up and down on the retainer bar, over and over. Her mother laughed. "She knows what this routine means. I think this is just what we both needed! Maybe the place will be a little less of a trash heap when you get back." She bowed to the girls. "Thank you."

Akane and Ranko bowed back, and were soon on their way, leaving their school things to pick up after bringing Miki home. After carrying the stroller down three flights of stairs, they set off for the park. Akane insisted that Ranko push the stroller, knowing she would enjoy it. Every few steps, Ranko would turn to Akane, a blush and a goofy grin on her face, then turn her eyes forward again. Akane was enjoying watching Ranko as much as she was enjoying Miki.

They reached the park right away, since Miki's family lived right next to it. Miki watched, rapt, as her stroller rolled along the path; she was eagerly taking in all the people who were enjoying the weather, which was relatively warm for December.

They found a bench that was facing the playground. Miki seemed particularly keen on watching the younger children at play there, so Ranko and Akane parked themselves on the bench and turned the stroller to face the show. Miki leaned forward, intent, and Ranko and Akane couldn't help laughing.

They sat for a long time, enjoying the scenery. Akane finally turned to Ranko. "How is your Bach piece coming along, Sis?"

Ranko smiled. "I've been working on it pretty hard for ten days now. Sensei says she thinks it'll be ready in time. I really want it to be perfect, exactly right. I can't stand the idea of playing something in front of all those people unless it's flawless." She blushed slightly.

Akane smiled warmly; it was a joy to see this flame rekindled in her sister. "I haven't heard it for a few days. I think I'll come keep you company in the Dojo again tonight." Ranko nodded and smiled.

Akane looked idly about. "This is probably the last day I'll get to just laze around for a while. The drama club is starting rehearsals for our talent show production."

"What are you doing?"

"We're going to try Romeo and Juliet. Again." She sighed. "This time we're just going to do the scene where they meet, because it has a lot of characters." She brightened. "At least I get another chance to be Juliet!"

Ranko's eyebrows went up. "Isn't that kind of… dangerous? Is there a kiss in that scene?"

Akane nodded and smiled.

"But… aren't you just going to have the same kind of mess you did last time? With guys crashing to try to get a chance to kiss you?"

Akane grinned. "You mean like you?" Ranko blushed crimson and looked down. Akane laughed, and put a hand on her shoulder. "I know you weren't doing it to try to kiss me." Ranko nodded, still blushing.

Akane leaned back against the bench and smiled. "Besides, we have a solution to that problem this time."

Ranko looked up, her face still tinged pink. "What?"

A wicked grin split Akane's face. "Only girls were allowed to try out for Romeo this time. That nipped _that_ problem in the bud." Ranko boggled. "Hey, if _I_ had to play Romeo so many times, let someone else have a turn!" She started to laugh, and Ranko joined her.

They were interrupted by an irritated cry from Miki. Ranko turned the stroller around to face the bench. The little girl was in tears. Ranko and Akane looked at each other. "What's wrong, honey?" asked Ranko. Miki looked up at her with big eyes and continued to whimper.

"Maybe you should pick her up, Sis?"

Ranko nodded, and disentangled Miki from the stroller, putting the baby over her shoulder. Her crying grew louder. "That doesn't seem to be what she wants," said Ranko nervously.

She brought Miki back around to her front, and cradled her in her arms, holding her close. The little girl looked up into Ranko's face, and her cry faded back to a whimper. Suddenly, she opened her mouth in an enormous yawn.

"Ah ha!" said Akane. "She's tired."

Ranko smiled, and cuddled the baby closer. She stopped whimpering, she sighed, and her eyelids started to flutter, then close. She turned her head towards Ranko, and nestled her face into Ranko's chest. Her mouth made some halfhearted sucking motions, and then she was asleep.

Ranko turned to Akane, confused. "Do you know what that was that she did with her mouth just now?"

"I didn't see, Sis. What did she do?"

"She made some motions with her mouth, as she was falling asleep. Like this." Ranko demonstrated.

Akane burst out laughing.

"What's so funny?"

Akane tried to control herself. "You know how when you first arrived at our home, you bragged that you have a better figure than I do?"

Ranko blushed. "I remember. I'm sorry about that."

Akane shook her head. "It's OK." She leaned forward in a conspiratorial way, still grinning. "In fact, Miki was just agreeing with you. She was trying to nurse."

Ranko frowned. "Nurse?" Suddenly, her eyes got very wide, and she turned beet red, as Akane burst into laughter again. Ranko didn't know a lot about babies, but she and her father had traveled through many rural areas, and she knew about this from firsthand observation. She stared at the ground, trying desperately to fight down her blush.

Suddenly, they both became aware that someone was standing nearby, and looked up.

Ryouga looked from Ranko to Akane, then back again. "Let me guess. I'm not on Okinawa, am I?"

Both girls shook their heads.

* * *

Miki had stirred and whimpered when they tried to put her back in the stroller, so Ranko continued to cuddle her as they took her home. Akane pushed the empty stroller.

Ryouga smiled warmly as he watched Ranko with the baby. "So who is this?"

Ranko looked up and smiled. "Kobuchizawa Miki. She's a new friend of mine. I met her a week or so ago when I ran into her. Literally." She looked sheepish. Miki whimpered again, and Ranko turned her attention back to the baby, rocking her gently and murmuring softly.

Ryouga found himself drifting off into fantasy…

"Congratulations, Hibiki-san! It's a girl!"

Ryouga looked at his daughter, his heart in his throat. She had red hair, just like her mother, and little fangs, just like her father. The obstetrician placed the baby in Ranko's arms, and she cradled their daughter tenderly, then looked up at her husband with glistening eyes. "Oh Ryouga… she's so beautiful." She looked down at their daughter again, her face glowing with a mother's love, then back up at him. "Oh, Ryouga… Ryouga… Ryouga! Earth to Ryouga!"

Ryouga snapped out of his daydream, and looked around. Akane and Ranko were standing at a flight of stairs about ten paces back, staring at him. He grinned sheepishly. "Sorry."

Akane started to bump the stroller up the stairs, when Ryouga said "Allow me." He picked it up with one hand, and they proceeded to the third floor. Akane rang the doorbell.

"Hai!" echoed from inside, and moments later Miki's mother opened the door. She took a look at Miki in Ranko's arms, then smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry, I forgot to tell you: she hates falling asleep in the stroller for some reason. I see you figured it out." Ranko nodded and smiled. Noriko reached out, and Ranko hesitated a moment, then wistfully handed Miki over. The baby sighed and nestled against her mother.

Noriko had noticed Ranko's reluctance. "You know, if you come babysit for me, you'll reach the point where you'll be a little more eager to get rid of her." She winked, and the two girls laughed. "Come on in."

When they reached the living room, Miki's mother said "Wait a moment while I put her down," and continued down the hallway. Ranko and Akane looked around; the apartment was far neater than it had been when they left. They looked at each other and smiled.

Noriko returned a minute later, smiling. "I see you brought another friend." She bowed slightly. "I'm Kobuchizawa Noriko." She looked expectantly at Ryouga.

Ryouga bowed. "Hibiki Ryouga, Ma'am." He straightened up, and put an arm around Ranko. "I'm Ranko's boyfriend."

Ranko smiled uncertainly. _Boyfriend? I thought we were just dating…_

Akane knew exactly what the look on Ranko's face meant, but said nothing.

Miki's mother insisted on serving them some tea, "to warm you up," but a half hour later they were finally on their way home to the Tendou Dojo. Ryouga and Ranko were holding hands, a practical necessity to keep him on course.

After a short walk, they turned in the gate, and from there through the front door. "Tadaima!"

Kasumi hurried down the hall. "O-kaeri… Oh, Ryouga-kun! You've come for a visit. How nice!"

Ryouga smiled and nodded. Kasumi made every visit to the Tendou home a pleasure.

They walked back down the hall together, and greeted the family where they sat in the living room. Nabiki rose from the chair where she had been reading. "About time you showed up again. Come on, we have some business to attend to." And with that, she grabbed Ryouga and dragged him off.

Akane turned to Ranko, perplexed. "What was that all about?" Ranko shook her head, equally confused.

Ryouga and Nabiki returned an hour later, just in time for dinner. Everyone settled in around the dinner table; Ranko sat between Akane and Ryouga. She was nervous, for she was starting to get the feeling that her relationship with Ryouga was going farther and faster than she wanted. Weren't they just supposed to try dating, to see if they liked it? Why was Ryouga now saying he was her boyfriend?

She relaxed as dinner began, and everyone started to chat about what had happened that day. Nabiki and Kasumi grinned as Ranko and Akane talked about their experience babysitting Miki. Ryouga smiled as he heard about the parts he hadn't seen himself, and about how Ranko had met Miki for the first time. Ranko was silently grateful to Akane for not bringing up Miki's attempt to nurse.

They were almost done with dinner when it happened. Souun had gone into the kitchen for a glass of water. As he came back to the table, he tripped, and the water glass went flying. Straight at Ryouga.

Time seemed to slow down, and Ranko felt her heart pounding in slow motion. She surged up and over, reaching out, but her speed was not what it had been. Her hand was only in time to touch the edge of the glass, which set it spinning, spewing water everywhere. Ranko fell forward onto the table, closed her eyes, and waited for doomsday.

There was an agonizingly long pause.

She heard Akane's voice. "R-Ryouga? You… you have a Jusenkyou curse?" Ranko cringed. "Why didn't you tell me? And… and Ranko… you were trying to stop the water! You must have known about it! You were hiding it from me, too!"

Ranko started to cry. "I'm sorry, Sis. I'm so sorry. I… I couldn't tell you. I promised him not to tell, on my honor! I'm so sorry about the whole thing! Please forgive me!" She was sobbing.

Ranko heard nothing, and imagined a mallet was on its way to mete out divine punishment. She started when she felt Akane's hand on her back, rubbing it gently.

"Sis, it's OK. Please don't cry. Really, I understand. If you promised, you had to honor that promise." Ranko couldn't believe that Akane could be so forgiving about this. "But what I don't understand is… Ryouga, why did you make her promise not to tell?"

Ranko heard a strangely familiar soprano voice. "Well, I was just too embarrassed about it. You know how we guys are about our manhood."

Ranko sat up with a start, opening her eyes. She turned her head to the side, and found herself face to face with a pretty, black-haired girl wearing a yellow and black bandanna. Her jaw dropped open.

The girl grinned a fang-toothed grin, which made her look quite cute, actually. "Hi."

* * *

Half an hour and a kettle of hot water later, Ranko and Ryouga were sitting on the roof.

"Why Nyanniichuan?"

Ryouga snorted. "Cologne didn't exactly have a big selection. She said, 'Where do you think you are, Sonny? Curses'R'Us?' She had some Nyanniichuan for when Shampoo's punishment was over, and she had some Yaazuniichuan, left over from when Mousse threatened to use it on Akane. That was it." He sighed. "A duck didn't seem like a big improvement over a pig. I wanted to move up the food chain." He laughed. "Besides, think about how lost I would get if I could _fly_."

She chuckled, then stopped. "There was some left for Shampoo, wasn't there?"

He nodded. "Plenty."

"So that's it? P-chan is gone?"

"Yup. Nabiki was thinking about buying a piglet, putting one of my bandannas on it, and… and staging a traffic accident or something…" He gulped. "We decided neither of us had the heart to go through with that." He paused a moment, a little pale, then grinned. "You know, underneath your big sister's diamond-hard corporate raider exterior lurks the heart of a softy."

She smiled. "I know." She paused a moment. "So P-chan just never shows up again?"

He nodded. "I think it'll be easier on Akane that way. She can hope that he's just found a new home somewhere." He sighed. "She'll still be pretty sad, though."

Ranko nodded thoughtfully. "You know, I think… I think I'm actually going to miss him, too. You were kind of cute that way." She giggled. Ryouga just rolled his eyes.

She thought a while, then sighed and looked at her feet. "I hope you know what you're getting yourself into. When you're the opposite sex, people expect you to act accordingly. They get flustered or even angry if you don't. It's… hard."

He shook his head. "Anything has to be better than being a pig."

She looked up. "Are you sure? Doesn't being a girl bother you? Having… the wrong body parts? People expecting you to be feminine when you're really a man?"

He nodded. "Of course it bothers me. But being a small animal is even worse. You have no hands, you have no voice, you're helpless… and people keep trying to eat you." He shivered. "I'll take being the wrong sex any day."

She stared at him, then nodded. "I… I guess you're right. I guess I had it easy…" She blushed and looked down. She hugged herself and started to shiver; it was getting quite cold.

Ryouga reached an arm around her and drew her in, and she sighed and lay her head on his shoulder. She shivered once more as she started to warm up.

He shook his head. "No, you didn't have it easy. I was never a pig for more than a few days. You were a boy for twelve years. And I never actually tried to _be_ a pig. I never thought I _was_ a pig." He shook his head. "You didn't have it easy at all."

She nodded, and suddenly tears were running down her face. He squeezed her a little harder.

"I'm sorry, hon. It still hurts to think about it, doesn't it?" She nodded again, grateful that he was holding her, even as her head spun a little from being called "hon." _He's… he's going so __**fast**__…_ Still, she leaned into him a little more, even as she worried. It was so overwhelming, to have someone care about you _that much_, to worry over your every tear, your every sigh… to want to protect you… _I… I don't want to hurt him… But I'm just getting in deeper all the time…_

They sat there for a long time. Ranko finally sat up. "Ryouga, I need to go practice."

He smiled and stood up. "Can I listen?"

She smiled back. "Of course, silly."

A short while later Ranko stood in the Tendou living room, her music stand and violin ready. She had been planning to practice in the Dojo again, but it seemed like half the family had wanted to listen tonight, and it seemed unkind to drag everyone out there to freeze.

It had been many days since anyone had heard Ranko play the piece she was working on, and everyone was electrified by the progress she had made. The fathers' shogi game ground to a halt, and everyone else stopped what they were doing to listen. She still stumbled in places, but she had mastered others, and in those passages the full beauty of the Bach composition came to the fore. The music was vibrant and alive as Ranko poured her skill and heart into it.

Nabiki closed her eyes and smiled with pleasure; Kasumi and Akane looked on with pride. Genma and Souun watched intently, as if Ranko were sparring and they were evaluating her.

Ryouga noted new emotions which had joined the others on Ranko's face: self-assurance and satisfaction. He drifted off into fantasy again…

"_And now, for her New York debut, the talented young Japanese violinist Ranko Hibiki will play the Bach partita for solo violin in E major…"_

Shio screwed up her face as she watched the TV. "What are they saying, Daddy? I don't understand the words." She brightened. "I heard Mommy's name, but they got it backwards! I thought the people on TV were smarter than that."

Ryouga laughed. "It's English, sweetheart, they do names backwards from us. Mommy is in America, in New York. We couldn't go along this time, so we're going to watch her on TV. Look, there she is!"

"Mommy!" shrieked Shio, as her mother walked onto the TV screen from the wings. She was carrying her violin and bow, and dressed in an elegant gown; the audience applauded enthusiastically. She bowed deeply, Japanese-style, then lifted her violin to her chin, and began to play. Her bow flew crisply back and forth; her body moved in counterpoint. Her fiery red tresses swayed in time with the music. The audience was spellbound, captivated by the beauty of the young Japanese woman and the even greater beauty of her music. Shio and her father watched with pride…

Until Ranko missed a note and exclaimed "Mouuu!", jerking Ryouga back to reality. He shook his head, disoriented.

"I can't believe I messed that up! I've played it a hundred times. Oh well." She grinned sheepishly, and started in again.

Since she was working on the same three minutes of music over and over again, everyone began to drift back to their prior pursuits, letting the music become a pleasant background. Everyone was quiet and spoke in hushed tones to avoid distracting her.

And Ryouga watched in wonder, awed by just how much of his heart Ranko was occupying.

* * *

End Chapter 11

Monday, September 11, 2000

**Copyright Notice**

The characters and stories of Ranma ½ are Copyright © Rumiko Takahashi, and are used here without permission or license.

No claims to the above copyright are made by the author of this work.

This work is for non-commercial use ONLY, and is produced for the enjoyment of fans only.

This work is the expression of the author and the depiction of the Ranma ½ characters herein are in no way represented to be a part of Ranma ½ as depicted by the original author and copyright holder(s).


	12. Chapter 12: Adventures in Babysitting

Genma's Daughter

By ClassicalGal

Original concept and parts of chapter 1 by Nesin Evets

Chapter 12: Adventures in Babysitting

* * *

"Tadaima!"

Nodoka rushed to the door at the sound of her daughter's voice. She found Ranko standing in the genkan, removing her coat with a happy smile on her face. The smile broadened even further as she saw Nodoka. "Mother!"

"O-kaeri nasai, dear. How was your lesson this week?"

Ranko giggled. "You mean my third lesson this week. It was wonderful! Sensei says I'll be ready for the recital for sure. She asked Murata-sensei to come to my lessons next week, and he said yes!"

Nodoka beamed. "You've been working harder on your violin piece?"

Ranko rolled her eyes and nodded as she stepped up into the house. "Have I ever! As hard as I ever worked on my martial arts." She smiled. "But it's worth it. I… it's just like the Art. As I get better, I find whole new things to explore. And I'm playing on a whole new level." Her eyes lost focus. "I love this so much… I can express myself in a way I never could with the Art. I can put _all_ of myself into it."

Nodoka hugged her daughter. "I'm so glad, sweetheart." She held her out at arm's length. "A mother can't ask for more than to see her child so happy." Ranko nodded, and arm in arm they proceeded down the hall.

The entire family was waiting for them in the living room, including Ryouga. He grinned, stood, and gave her a quick kiss. He was starting to say something when Nodoka interrupted. "Oh Ranko, I almost forgot. A Kobuchizawa Noriko called, to ask if you would babysit tonight. She sounded pretty desperate. I told her you would call when you got home."

Ranko nodded uncertainly. Akane grinned. "Miki is certainly having an effect on your life, Sis!"

Nodoka smiled. "Is Miki who you would be babysitting?" Ranko nodded again, and Nodoka's smile widened. "I didn't know you were babysitting."

Ranko blushed. "I didn't think I was either, but after I met Miki and her mother, I started spending time with them. Miki is… a lot of fun. I really like being with her."

"How old is she?"

"Oh, maybe five or six months." She smiled a huge smile. "Babies sure are cute."

Nodoka and Genma looked at each other, and their differences vanished for a moment as they shared the same thought: _We're going to be grandparents!_ They smiled.

As Ranko moved to the telephone, Ryouga spoke up, an uncertain tone in his voice. "I… I was kind of hoping we could go out tonight…"

Ranko stopped. "Let me call her. If she's really desperate, I… I ought to help out. She's been so nice to me."

Ryouga sighed. "How about tomorrow?"

Ranko sagged. "I'm sorry, it's Sayuri's birthday party. I can't skip that." Ryouga nodded, disappointed. "I'll see if I can get out of this babysitting job tonight." He smiled.

Ranko dialed the number Nodoka had written down, and the phone rang. On the third ring, she got an answer: "Kobuchizawa residence." It was Miki's mother's voice, and she sounded more than a little harried.

"Kobuchizawa-san? This is Saotome Ranko. My mother said you called earlier?"

"Oh Ranko-chan, thank heavens! I was about to give up. Dear, my husband and I had a night out scheduled for tonight—our first in months—and the babysitter is sick. I called everyone else I can think of, but no one is available. My husband is leaving work early so we can go out, and I don't know what to do! Is there any chance you can come over tonight?"

"Could you hang on a moment, Kobuchizawa-san?" Ranko related the gist of the conversation to Ryouga. "Please? She's been so nice to me, and it's their first night out in months!"

Ryouga looked at Ranko's expressive eyes, which practically pleaded with him, and sighed. He could never resist her, and her generosity was one of the things he loved about her. "I… I was really hoping to spend time with you tonight, but… sure." He smiled warmly.

_What a sweet guy…_ "Kobuchizawa-san? I'd love to come watch Miki for you." She looked up at Ryouga, who was looking at her wistfully, and had an idea. "Would… would it be all right if I brought… a friend over? We had plans for tonight, and…"

There was a long, long pause. "Oh, Ranko-chan… I… I really don't want to say this, since you are rescuing me from a bad situation, but if it's a boy… I feel terrible about this, but I've had a couple of babysitters who brought their boyfriends, and… they got… ummm… a little too… ummm, active, and the neighbors complained. We promised it wouldn't happen again. I know you would never be that irresponsible, but the neighbors… I feel terrible asking you this when you are doing me such a favor…"

Ranko sighed and looked up at Ryouga, who read her expression and looked back with mournful eyes. She was about to tell him he couldn't come, when she had an idea.

"Ummm, my friend is a girl, Kobuchizawa-san. Is that OK?" Ryouga looked confused.

"Of course, Ranko-chan!" Ranko could hear the relief in her voice. "Can you be here at 6:30 PM?"

"I'll be there, Kobuchizawa-san. I'm looking forward to seeing Miki again!"

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, they hung up. Ranko turned to Ryouga and eyed him speculatively. "She's had a few bad experiences with babysitters bringing their boyfriends, so she said she'd rather I not bring mine. I told her I was bringing a girlfriend."

"What's going on? I can't go, so you're going to take Akane-san?"

Ranko took Ryouga by the arm and grinned. "Nope. I'm taking my good friend Ryouko-chan!" Nabiki started to snicker.

Ryouga frowned. "Ryouko-chan? Do I know her?"

Ranko's grin broadened. "Oh yes. You know _her_ very well."

Suddenly his jaw dropped, and he turned crimson as the whole family started laughing.

* * *

Ranko sighed. "You know, you didn't have to come. I only thought this up because you said you wanted to spend time with me. If you don't want to be 'Ryouko-chan', I can go by myself."

Ryouga looked over at the petite redhead who was walking next to her. "No, I guess I'd rather spend the evening with you this way than not at all." She sighed. She'd wanted to hold Ranko's hand, but Ranko had made it clear that there was to be nothing physical between them this evening.

They reached the Kobuchizawa's apartment building, and in short order were ringing the doorbell. Ranko frowned; she could hear Miki from out here, and the baby was not happy. She was wailing.

Miki's mother opened the door, and Ranko's frown disappeared. Noriko was dressed to the nines and her face was made up; clearly, tonight was a big night.

"Ranko-chan, thank you so much! You have saved my life." She smiled. "Is this your friend?"

Ranko nodded, and Ryouga bowed—boy style, hands at her sides. "I'm Hibiki Ryou… Ryouko, Ma'am."

"Please come in." They followed her to the inside. Miki was sitting in a high chair, and looked pitifully unhappy. Her eyes found Ranko, and for a moment a tentative smile crept onto her face, but she soon resumed her crying.

"I don't know what's wrong with her, Ranko-chan. She's been cranky for an hour or so now." She pursed her lips. "My husband should be home any minute, and we've got to go right away. I'll try to get her settled down before then." She threw a cloth over her shoulder and hoisted the baby out of the high chair, holding her and jostling her up and down. Miki's wail reduced to a whimper, but she was still in tears.

As she was pacing back and forth, Noriko tried to make conversation. "You said your name was Hibiki—are you related to Ranko's boyfriend? You look quite a bit like him."

Ranko had a blank look on her face, and turned to her companion, who thought furiously. "Ummm, he's my brother, Ma'am."

Miki's mother smiled. "How nice that you two are friends, too!" She noticed what Ranko was carrying. "Ranko-chan, is that a violin?"

Ranko nodded. "I was hoping I could practice a little tonight. I have a recital in a week and a half."

Noriko beamed. "Why don't you play now, while we're waiting for my husband? Maybe it will quiet Miki down a little bit."

Ranko smiled and nodded, and started to get out her violin. Noriko sat down, holding Miki on her lap; the little girl was still whimpering. Ryouga sat next to them.

Ranko finished tuning her violin and started to practice her Bach piece. Miki and her mother watched, utterly fascinated. Miki still didn't look happy, but she seemed distracted by Ranko's playing.

After a time, the little girl's attention started to wander, and she started to cry again. Ranko stopped and put down her violin.

Noriko applauded as best she could with a handful of baby, and so did Ryouga. "That was wonderful, Ranko-chan! Are you going to be a violinist? You certainly play like one."

Ranko blushed. "I'm thinking about it, Kobuchizawa-san."

Miki's mother _tsked_. "Enough with the 'Kobuchizawa-san', Ranko-chan; I'm only a few years older than you are, after all. Please call me Noriko."

Ranko smiled. "Thank you, Noriko-san."

Noriko smiled back, then looked at her watch. "Oh my goodness, look at the time! It's been half an hour!" She frowned. "My husband was supposed to be home by now." She continued to cuddle Miki as the little girl cried, and she bit her lip. "If he's not home soon, then… then we won't be able to go out tonight." Her sad expression was in stark contrast to her usual cheerfulness.

Ryouga shifted uncomfortably. "Is there something wrong with the baby, Kobuchizawa-san? She seems awfully unhappy."

Noriko sighed. "You know, I used to worry terribly about this kind of thing, but my mother told me that sometimes babies just get like this. It could be her tummy, it could be a headache, or any number of things. She's not crying as if she's really in pain, and I've checked her diaper, I've fed her, I've tried to put her to sleep, but she just won't have it." She shook her head. "Sometimes you just have to wait it out." Ryouga nodded, and swallowed at the thought of spending the evening with a crying baby.

Another 15 minutes later, Noriko looked close to joining her daughter in tears. "I… I guess something must have happened at work. It looks like he's not going to make it." She bowed her head.

Ranko bit her lip. "I'm sorry, Noriko-san… it sounds like tonight was going to be special."

She nodded. "We haven't been out, just the two of us, for a long time…" she trailed off. Miki started to whimper a little more loudly.

"Would you like me to try holding her?"

Noriko looked at the sad little girl in her lap. "Why not? Nothing else is working."

Ranko took Miki into her own lap. Miki brightened briefly, but returned to whimpering in short order. Noriko laughed. "My goodness, we're all striking out tonight, aren't we? Would you like to try, Ryouko-chan?"

Ryouga looked up, startled. "Me?"

Noriko frowned. _She talks like a boy, and she dresses like one… I guess it must be something girls are doing nowadays; Ranko-chan used to do the same thing._ "Don't you like babies, Ryouko-chan?"

"Ryouko-chan" winced. "Well, uhh… sure, but…"

"I guess you don't want to hold her when she's crying. I can understand that."

Ryouga had the strange feeling she was being judged and found wanting. "Ummm… I… uh, sure."

Ranko handed the baby over to Ryouga, who held her as if she were a sack of potatoes. Miki wailed.

"No, no, Ryouko-chan. Put your hands over there, to support her. Cuddle her a bit." _What is it with girls these days? Haven't any of them held a baby before?_

Ryouga gingerly repositioned Miki, who quieted down to a whimper again. The little girl looked up at her with wide eyes and blinked. Ryouga smiled, and started making faces at the baby. Miki watched intently for a while, then started to laugh; whatever had been bothering her seemed forgotten for the moment.

"You have a knack, Ryouko-chan! I'm sure you'll make a fine mother some day."

Ryouga turned beet red while Ranko clapped a hand over her mouth. "Uhhh… Thanks."

"Do you have a boyfriend?"

Ryouga was starting to get really uncomfortable with the turn the conversation was taking. "Ummm, n-no… not right now."

"I'm surprised, a girl as pretty as you are!"

"Yeah, well…"

_Maybe it's because she's so butch…_ "How about you, Ranko-chan? How long have you been seeing her brother?"

"We just started seeing each other last month."

"So what do you think of him?" She winked. "It's just us girls here. I'm sure Ryouko-chan won't tell." "Ryouko-chan" turned red again.

Ranko blushed deeply. "Umm, he's… he's a nice guy. I… I like him…"

"How does he feel about you?"

Ryouga suddenly spoke up. "I… ummm… my brother… he… he l-loves her a lot." Everyone was staring at her. "Ummm, he… he told me."

Noriko nodded. "I see." She looked at her watch, and her smile disappeared.

"I… it's too late to go out now," she whispered. "I'm sorry I spoiled your evening for nothing, Ranko-chan."

Ranko went over and embraced Noriko. "Please don't apologize. It's OK. I'm just sorry your big evening was ruined." Noriko nodded.

As if on cue, the phone rang. Noriko got up and rushed over to pick it up. "Hello, Kobuchizawa… Dear! What happened?" A pause. "I see. Yes. Yes, of course." A sigh. "We have guests, by the way. That Saotome girl I told you about; she agreed to babysit at the last minute. Yes, she is a sweetheart. She brought a friend. Yes, I know, her evening too…I love you too. I'll see you soon." She hung up, then wandered back to the sofa.

She sighed. "Work again. They had an important business associate who wanted to go for drinks. He couldn't say no, of course." She looked at her watch. "The man got tired early, so my husband's on his way home now. At least I'll get to see him tonight…" She shook her head. "I wish he weren't a salaryman. It's like that company owns him."

She looked ready to cry. "He can't ever help with Miki. At this rate, I'll never be able to go back to school, at least not until she's in elementary school…"

"School for what?" asked Ryouga.

"Design. I want to be a designer. You know, furniture, living spaces, things like that." She sighed. "It seems like a distant dream at the moment."

Ranko paled. If she got married, if she had children, would this happen to her? Trapped at home, waiting for her salaryman husband to show up? And waiting, and waiting… What would happen to her violin? She shivered; she couldn't imagine giving up school, giving up her violin. _But… but I __**want**__ children… I want a family…_

Ryouga noticed the fear and confusion on Ranko's face, and felt a yawning pit in her stomach. _Kobuchizawa-san… __**please**__ shut up…_

Noriko echoed Ranko's thoughts. "If you really love your violin, Ranko-chan, don't marry a salaryman." She looked down. "I love my husband dearly, but his job is the pits. I guess we don't get to choose who we fall in love with…"

Ryouga looked back and forth between Ranko and Noriko, who both looked terribly depressed, and felt an irresistible compulsion to say something. Anything. "Ummm… I… my brother… he… he wouldn't do that to his wife! He wants to, uhhh, to open a dojo or something so he can be with his wife and children, and… and he would even do a lot of the… the childcare and housework and stuff, so she could… could be a violinist." Suddenly, she looked aghast. "Or, ummm, of course, whatever other career the woman he _happens_ to marry wanted to pursue! All hypothetical, of course." She cringed.

Ranko stared at Ryouga, and swallowed.

Noriko laughed. "It sounds like you've let the cat out of the bag, Ryouko-chan." Ranko winced at the "c" word. "It sounds like your brother is pretty serious about Ranko-chan." She turned to the redhead. "You're lucky, Ranko-chan. Not many men would do what Ryouko-chan says her brother has talked about. I hope things work out between you and him."

Ranko nodded, a frozen, frightened smile plastered on her face.

"Ryouko-chan, my husband feels the same way—that's one of the things that made me fall in love with him—but the company he works for doesn't, of course. Your brother is lucky he can have a job that gives him that option."

Noriko's gaze dropped from Ryouga's face. "Well, what do you know? Miss Tiny Terror has fallen asleep!" Ryouga looked down, and sure enough the little girl she was cuddling was sound asleep.

Noriko came over to pick up the baby, who sighed but remained asleep. "Just a second while I put her down. Peace finally comes to apartment 3E!" She took Miki down the hall.

Ranko swiveled around to look at Ryouga. "Ryouga… what you said earlier… you… you're really thinking about _marriage_?"

Ryouga bit her lip and tried to think of a reply, when a key turned in the front door, and a man's voice called out "Tadaima."

Ranko looked down the hall, but Noriko wasn't coming back yet. She got up and went to the genkan, where a handsome young man, with tired eyes that seemed far too old for him, was taking his coat off. She bowed in greeting. "O-kaeri nasai, Kobuchizawa-san. I'm Saotome Ranko. Your wife is busy putting Miki-chan to bed right now."

He looked her over briefly, then smiled. "My wife has told me a lot about you, Ranko-chan. Come on, let's go sit down."

They reentered the living room, and Ryouga stood up. "Hi, I'm Hibiki Ryou… umm, Ryouko."

"Ryouko-chan is my friend. She's my boyfriend's brother." She winced. "Ummm, sister."

Kobuchizawa-san grinned, and his eyes grew a little less weary. "I was gonna say, she doesn't look much like his brother."

At that moment, Noriko reappeared, and his expression softened. "Noriko, I am so sorry. You know how it is." He looked her over. "You look beautiful tonight. I'm really sorry."

She nodded. "Thank you, dear. We'll try again some other night." She turned to Ranko and Ryouga. "Girls,"—Ryouga winced—"thank you for coming tonight. I'm sorry your evening was wasted, too."

Ranko and Ryouga regarded each other warily. Ranko spoke. "It wasn't a waste, Noriko-san."

She laughed. "That's right, your boyfriend's sister spilled the beans on him, didn't she!"

Both girls turned bright red. "Yeah."

Noriko turned to her husband. "I'm sorry dear, I didn't make anything for dinner, and it's too late for a restaurant. I guess… I guess I'll heat up some leftovers…"

Ranko looked back and forth between the two of them. "I know a Chinese place that makes great ramen, and they deliver." She smiled.

Noriko's eyes lit up. "They do?"

* * *

Keisuke blew into his hands to try to warm them up. Of all the nights to get stuck running his pop's yatai, it had to be Friday night? Man, he could be out with Rika-chan instead! It was two hours before he could go home, and he hadn't had a customer in over an hour. He groaned for the hundredth time.

Suddenly he heard voices. Two girls were walking down the street. "I thought we were just dating! I thought we were going to see what it was like! Now I find out you want to marry me!"

"Hey, I can't help how I feel! I didn't mean to tell you about it! It just kinda came out!"

Keisuke rolled his eyes. What a waste of a couple of cute chicks…

"I'm not ready for this! You heard what Noriko-san said. If I get married, what's going to happen to my studying the violin?"

Keisuke looked more closely, and sure enough the redhead was carrying a violin case. He frowned. This was reminding him of some show his little sister used to watch. A lesbian couple… the femme one played the violin… the butch one dressed like a guy… He shook his head; he couldn't quite remember…

"I told you, I'll take care of the kids!"

The redhead fumed. "How about pregnancy and childbirth? Maybe you'd like to do that, too!"

"That isn't very funny, y'know!" The brunette scowled. "Maybe I should just… get lost." She started to stalk off, and passed Keisuke's yatai.

The redhead stared after the other girl for several seconds as she walked away, then suddenly started to run. She caught up with the brunette and threw her arms around her from behind. Keisuke rolled his eyes again. He knew some guys went for this kinda stuff, but it didn't interest him at all. Why'd they have to do all this right in front of him?

"I… I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say that. I'm just so… so scared. Being a mother is such a big responsibility, and… and things have been happening so fast… and I… Please… don't go…"

The brunette stood there for a few moments, then blew out a breath and turned around to face her companion. "How do you feel about me?"

The redhead shrank a little. "I… I don't know anymore. I… to be honest, at first, I… I didn't think I had any feelings for you, other than as a good friend. But… but now I think, maybe… When you were walking away just now, I felt… empty, somehow. Sad. Lonely. Like I was losing something important." She shook her head. "I… I'm not sure how I feel about you, but… but I want to find out, because… maybe…" She blushed. "Noriko-san was right. I would be lucky to have a guy like you for a husband."

Keisuke frowned. Guy? Husband? If she felt that way, why was she going out with another girl? He shrugged. Women…

The brunette softened. "Really?"

The redhead nodded. "Y-yes. I just need time, I need to understand my feelings better. You said if I didn't like dating we could give it up. I don't know if I want to… to marry you, but I don't want to give up. Not yet. I… I care for you… but… I'm so confused…"

Keisuke made a face. What a waste. Especially the redhead. Man, was she hot… Actually, the brunette was pretty hot, too…

The brunette smiled, put her hands on the shorter girl's shoulders, then cupped her cheek with one hand…

"Please, not like this… I… it doesn't feel comfortable to me… I'm sorry…"

The brunette sighed, and nodded. Suddenly, she seemed to notice Keisuke. "Hey! You got any hot water?"

Keisuke shrugged. "Sure. Here ya go." He poured her a cup from the kettle.

The brunette took it, and to Keisuke's amazement, promptly emptied it on her head. However, this didn't even come close to matching his amazement when she grew half a head taller and far more muscular. Not to mention changing sexes.

The brunette, now a guy, handed the cup back to Keisuke. "Thanks," he said, in a much deeper voice. He turned back to the redhead. "Now, where were we?" He embraced her gently, and she hugged him back, trembling slightly.

"You know, it's really great to have hands to pour the hot water with. Try dragging a kettle with your teeth some time." The redhead giggled into his chest, and seemed to relax. She stopped trembling.

Keisuke swallowed. _H-hands?_

After a time, the guy said "Take all the time you need. I'll… I'll wait." The girl nodded. He kissed her gently on the forehead, and they slowly turned and walked off down the street, she on his arm. Neither of them noticed the young man cowering and gibbering behind the yatai.

* * *

"Oneechan?"

Nabiki looked up from the magazine she was reading at the kitchen table. Ranko was standing in the doorway, fidgeting. She obviously wanted something.

Resisting the temptation to roll her eyes, Nabiki folded her arms in front of her. "What is it, kiddo?" Kasumi looked back over her shoulder briefly, then turned her attention back to chopping vegetables.

"I… I need your advice. Again." She winced. "I'm sorry."

Nabiki smiled. "It's OK. What's up?"

"It's Ryouga. Right now is a really hard time in our relationship. I'm trying to find out how I feel about him, whether I want to keep dating him, or…" she trailed off.

"Go on."

"Well, the problem is, I need to spend time with him. And he keeps… getting lost. It's really hard on me to have to wait for days or weeks every time he leaves before I see him again." She bit her lip and looked down. "I'll never get things figured out at this rate. I begged him to stay here last night so he wouldn't disappear again." She looked up at Nabiki. "I know his bad sense of direction is a really tough problem, but is there anything you can think of?"

Nabiki snorted. "What makes you think I can solve a problem like that?"

Ranko blushed slightly in embarrassment. "Because I think my big sister is the smartest person I know."

Nabiki stared at Ranko for a moment, then to her own consternation, blushed herself. "Oh." She looked down for a moment, then back up, her cheeks still tinged pink. "Give me some time to think about it, OK?" She frowned for a second. "Tell him to not leave here until I think of something."

Ranko nodded and brightened. "I knew if anyone could solve this problem it would be you. Thanks, Oneechan!" She practically skipped out of the kitchen.

Nabiki put her head in her hands and sighed. "Oneechan, when exactly did I become an advice columnist?"

Kasumi turned around briefly to look at Nabiki, then turned back to the cutting board. Over her shoulder, she said simply, "The life of a big sister is fraught with peril."

Nabiki stared at Kasumi's back, her eyes bugged out, until Kasumi's hand shot to her mouth, and they both broke out laughing.

* * *

Late that afternoon, Ranko knocked on Akane's door. "Sis? It's me. Are you almost ready?"

Akane's voice came from inside. "Just about. Come on in."

Ranko entered the room, and closed the door behind her. She found Akane struggling with the zipper on the turtleneck dress she was wearing.

Akane grimaced. "The darned thing is stuck! Sis, could you zip me up?"

"Sure." Ranko stepped forward. She fiddled with the zipper for a moment, and it finally gave in, meekly sliding the rest of the way up.

Akane turned around and smiled. "Thanks." She eyed the box Ranko had under one arm. "You wrapped them already?"

Ranko nodded, smiling. "I'm looking forward to giving this to her."

Akane's eyes drifted up to Ranko's face. "You did a good job on your makeup! You're learning."

Ranko beamed. "Thank you."

"Which reminds me…" Akane stepped over to her vanity and began to work on her face.

Ranko went over to sit on the bed. "I feel bad for Ryouga… he wanted to take me out tonight." She sighed. "But I couldn't skip Sayuri's birthday."

Akane, with the speed born of long practice, was putting the finishing touches on her makeup. At least there was _one_ feminine art she wasn't a klutz at… "There's always tomorrow night."

"I guess…"

Akane finished, stood, and went to the dresser to fetch her present. She winced as she looked over the haphazard, sloppy wrapping; it was nowhere near as neat and pretty as what Ranko had produced. _Well, it's the thought that counts…_

"We'd better go, or we'll be late."

They stopped by the living room to bid the rest of the family farewell, and were greeted by an appreciative chorus of compliments.

"My, don't you two look nice!" said Kasumi. Genma and Souun glanced at each other, smiling with quiet pride.

Ryouga, housebound by Nabiki's decree, grinned and said, "You look like you're going on a date… with each other!"

"Ryouga no baka!" said Ranko and Akane in unison; they blinked, looked at each other, and started laughing, joined by the rest of the family.

Nodoka shook her head. "Sometimes I think Kirara and I were wrong when we told you two you weren't twins." She smiled. "Why so dressy?"

Akane and Ranko looked at each other once more. "I guess… we're just getting a little more grown-up, Auntie. Sayuri decided that this year, instead of having friends over to her house, she wanted us to all go out to a restaurant together. Partly, it's a dressy place, and partly… we just felt like it." Akane smiled.

Souun started to weep. "Waaahh! My little girl is growing up!" Nabiki rolled her eyes.

Nodoka tried to ignore the waterworks. "What are you giving her for her birthday?"

Akane held up her package, a little embarrassed by its ugliness. "A scarf."

Ranko smiled and held up hers. "Blue jade earrings. To match these." She held her hair aside, revealing two beautiful green jade earrings. "Sayuri gave me these, back when I got my ears pierced." She blushed, and Nodoka smiled and nodded in understanding.

Akane noticed the clock. "We'd better get going, Sis."

Ranko's eyes found Ryouga. "I'm… I'm sorry. We'll do something tomorrow night. I promise." She smiled shyly. "And don't forget, Christmas Eve is this Friday." They turned and left.

Ryouga turned pale. He'd forgotten that the biggest date night of the year was coming up. And he hadn't made any reservations anywhere! He would have to scramble to find someplace to take her.

Akane and Ranko walked rapidly to make it to the restaurant on time. Ranko was a little wobbly: she had recently bought some new boots, with a rather higher heel than she was used to. They were a pain to walk in and hurt her feet if she wore them for too long, but she didn't feel _quite_ so short when she was wearing them. It was nice to be _almost_ tall enough to look other women in the eye (as long as they were wearing flats…). She had been average in height as Ranma. Now, she was the shortest girl her age that she knew. She had to look up at Akane, and Kasumi practically towered over her. Sometimes it made her feel like a little kid.

"How are things between you and Ryouga, Sis? I got the feeling when you came home from babysitting last night that something had happened."

Ranko blushed and nodded. "I… I couldn't really admit it to myself before last night, but… I think I'm starting to develop feelings for him…"

Akane smiled. "Really? How do you feel about that?"

Ranko bit her lip. "Frightened. He's… he's really serious. Last night, he let slip that he's already thinking about marriage."

Akane's jaw dropped. "You're kidding!"

Ranko nodded. "He blurted out that he would take care of the kids so I could pursue my violin." She looked around nervously. "Don't tell anyone… I _really_ don't want that getting around. I wasn't going to talk about it tonight with the others." Akane nodded.

"Anyway, having him thinking about marriage makes it even harder for me to figure out how I feel about him. On the one hand, I think, maybe I should try dating other guys first… do I really want to marry the first guy I date? Am I even ready to think about marriage at all? I won't even be 17 until March! On the other hand, I… I really feel like I'm starting to care about him… Part of me doesn't want to date other guys…"

"Why do you think your feelings have changed?"

Ranko frowned. "I'm not sure. I think one part of it is that he's changing, too, a lot. He's… he's not the same Ryouga he used to be. When I started dating him, I was still thinking of him as my old school friend, the guy who used to shout 'Ranma, prepare to die!' or 'Saotome, you've made my life hell!'" They both giggled. "But he's changed. It's like all that anger and depression he had bottled up is just gone. He's a lot more mellow, a lot happier."

Akane smiled. "That's probably all thanks to you, Sis."

Ranko blushed deeply and nodded. "Anyway, without all that anger and depression, he's… a really sweet, considerate, kind guy. He… he dotes on me. And… I… after seeing him… her… ummm, whatever, with Miki last night… I… I could really see him as a father." She blushed again. "As the father of _my_ children."

Ranko thought for a few seconds. "I mean, if I look at it in a cold-blooded, calculating way, he's a good 'catch'." She said the word with distaste. "The perfect husband for someone like me, who wants a career. But… I can't marry someone just because they're useful to me. I know some women do that, but I can't. I'll have to love the man I marry; I want a partner, not a… fish. You… you have to give up something to be married, to be parents; you have to make lots of compromises. To me, it's not worth it if I'm not with someone I love deeply. I'd rather not get married in that case." She shook her head. "Maybe I'm a romantic, but it can't just be a business transaction. Not for me."

Akane shook her head, smiling. "I wouldn't have believed that anyone raised by your father could look at it that way."

Ranko laughed. "Well, I've been thinking about it a lot. And… I saw some of the compromises Miki's parents have had to make." She sobered. "It was very… educational."

The restaurant, an upscale Italian place on the main shopping street near Fuurinkan, came into view. Ranko pursed her lips. "I hope I can get this figured out soon. While I'm trying to figure out how I feel about him, he's already planning our future. That makes me really nervous. If we broke up even now, after only one real date, he'd be devastated. I need time, but the longer I take, the more committed he gets." She sighed. "I have the feeling he already has the names for our children picked out."

Akane frowned. "Maybe it would be better if you guys took a little time off from each other."

Ranko sighed. "Maybe it would. But… I don't know if we can…"

They walked the rest of the way in silence.

* * *

"How about this one?"

Ranko looked over the movie ad. There were guns, missiles, explosions, soldiers, helicopters… "Ummm… I don't think so."

"Hmmm." Ryouga flipped through the pages of Pia. "Hey! Have you ever been to the Takarazuka Revue?"

Ranko made a face. "I think I've had enough of a woman pretending to be a man to last me a lifetime, thank you."

"Ummm… good point." He continued scanning the ads.

Akane wandered up to Ryouga and Ranko, who were seated at the dining table. "What are you guys doing? Looking for a movie?"

Ranko nodded. "We're going out tonight."

Ryouga shook his head. "There doesn't seem to be anything good playing right now."

Akane sat down to look as well. "Hmmm…"

The three were engrossed when they heard Nabiki's voice call from the genkan. "Tadaima!" She walked in, a package wrapped as a gift under one arm.

"O-kaeri, Oneechan," said Ranko and Akane, in stereo. They looked at each other and giggled.

Akane noticed the package. "Did you buy a gift for someone?"

Nabiki cocked her head. "Sort of. I just got back from Akihabara."

Akane and Ranko looked at each other in surprise; that was an unusual destination for Nabiki.

Ryouga's interest was piqued. "What did you get?"

Nabiki grinned. "A prosthetic sense of direction."

She wished she had had her camera with her; the look on Ryouga's face was priceless.

He finally found his voice. "Wh-what do you mean?"

Nabiki walked over to the table and placed the package on top of the open issue of Pia they had been perusing. "Why don't you open it and find out?"

Ranko didn't think that any child could possibly have torn open a present more quickly than Ryouga opened the wrapping paper. He lifted out the box inside.

He turned the box around, looking at it from all directions. "Model GX-7400 Pocket GPS Receiver?" He looked up at Nabiki, confused.

She nodded. "It took me a while to find that model." Her eyes narrowed. "It was quite expensive, by the way." The look in her eyes made the other three shiver; it said, "_You owe me, buster. Big time."_

"It has an interesting feature: you put in an address anywhere in Japan, and it gives you step-by-step directions on how to get there from wherever you are now. It can speak them aloud, too, as an option. It can even update its database wirelessly over the Internet. Plus, it's water-resistant." Nabiki folded her arms.

Comprehension started to dawn in Ryouga's eyes. He regarded the box as if it contained some magical artifact that defied the laws of nature. Finally, he managed to express an opinion. "Wow…"

Twenty minutes later, they were standing in the park, bundled up against the late December weather. "OK," said Nabiki, "You're going to lead us all back home. Go for it."

Ryouga looked at the unit. "Ummm… I don't know your address. Addresses were never much use to me…"

Nabiki rolled her eyes. "OK. The unit can store a directory of up to 50 locations you want to go to. You can scroll through it by name, and pick one. Give it here."

Ryouga handed the GX-7400 over to Nabiki. She fiddled with its tiny keypad for a while. "Let's see… Tendou Dojo… Fuurinkan High School… there." She handed it back. "I've put the Dojo and the High School in. Just rotate that thumbwheel, and when you see the place you want to go, hit that red button."

Ryouga dialed the thumb wheel until the display said "Tendou Dojo." He pushed the red button. After a short pause, the unit spoke up in a polite, synthesized female voice. "Please proceed to the park exit nearest the playground."

Ryouga looked around; sure enough, there was an exit visible near the playground. He frowned. "This can't be right! Isn't your house that way?" He pointed in the opposite direction.

Ranko, Akane, and Nabiki all looked at each other. Nabiki answered, "Why don't you try going the way you think is right, Ryouga?"

Ryouga nodded, and proceeded in what he thought was the right direction. The unit immediately spoke up. "I'm sorry, that is not the correct direction. Please turn around." He stopped, and all three girls burst out laughing.

Ryouga's face turned red. "Ummm, that's not the right way?"

Nabiki nodded. "This is very important. If this thing is going to work for you, you have to completely ignore your own sense of direction. If you start going the way you think you should, you're already lost. Got it?"

Ryouga nodded uncertainly, and turned around. The three girls followed behind him.

As he left the park through the exit near the playground, the unit spoke again. "Please turn right, and continue." He did so.

As Ryouga walked along, making turns at the unit's command, his feeling of discomfort grew. He looked behind him; the three sisters were still following him, their expressions neutral. He looked forward again, and frowned. He was sure this couldn't be right. The unit must be defective; his instincts screamed at him that he was going further and further off course, getting more and more lost.

He turned around again. "Are you _sure_ this thing is taking us in the right direction?"

All three girls looked elsewhere nonchalantly, their expressions unreadable.

Ryouga sighed, and turned forward once more. He reached a corner. "Please turn left, and continue." He did so. His sense of being lost was overwhelming now. He hoped Ranko and her sisters could figure out where they were and get them home.

Suddenly the unit spoke up. "You have reached your destination." He looked up, and found himself face to face with the front gate of the Tendou Dojo.

He stared at the gate, then at the small unit in his hand, then at the gate again, then back to the girls, who were all grinning at him. Slowly, an expression of joy crept onto his face, and grew and grew, until he looked like a little boy who had opened a plain-looking package and found the one present he had wanted more than anything else in the whole world, the one he had thought he would never, ever receive.

Ranko clapped her hands together and laughed in delight at the pure, childlike joy on Ryouga's face; she had never seen him look this happy in the entire time she had known him. In fact, she didn't think she had ever seen him actually joyful; it utterly transformed his face. She felt a kind of joy herself, a warm feeling in her heart that seemed to echo his. Curiously, a tear ran down her cheek; she wiped it away, and wondered what it meant.

They never did actually go to the movies that night. Instead, for the rest of the day, Ryouga led Ranko all over Fuurinkan-cho, quite literally like a kid with a new toy. The shopping district, the high school, the Tendou Dojo, the Saotome home: he fairly cackled with glee as the little gadget led him unerringly to wherever he wanted to go. Ranko found his delight in this to be more than entertainment enough.

After getting strange looks from passersby, Ryouga noticed the earphone jack on the unit. Nabiki was happy to supply him with one ("I'm just putting this all on your tab, you know"), and so he placed the unit in a pocket, with the earphone in his ear. It looked rather like an old-fashioned hearing aid, which seemed oddly appropriate.

They ended up on the roof of the Tendou Dojo.

"I'm sorry we never went on our date… and after I gave you a hard time about wanting one."

"It's OK." She smiled. "Watching you with your new toy was the best date I could have had. I'm so happy for you."

He put his arm around her, and she snuggled into his shoulder. "It's all thanks to you asking Nabiki for me." She smiled. "Even if I _am_ gonna have to pay for it in convenient monthly installments." They both laughed.

His face grew serious again. "Everything good that's happened to me recently has been because of you." He brought his face a little closer, and Ranko wondered as she looked up into his eyes. His soft, brown, soulful eyes. They seemed almost to grow, until she couldn't see anything else…

"You know, you're the best thing that's ever happened to me. You helped me straighten my life out. You got me out of the rut I was in, the anger and the hate and the depression. You made me _happy_. You've been like an angel to me, turning my life in the right direction.

"You have a beautiful soul. I couldn't think of any better way to spend my life than watching you play your violin, practice the Art, and mother your children. And… and share all that with you, if… if you'll have me. And to think I hated you… wanted to kill you… thought you were the _worst_ thing in my life…" He shook his head in wonder. "I could have missed knowing you. The real you."

She shivered. "Ryouga… I… I…"

He drew her into a tight embrace. "Shhhh. I know. I'm sorry. I just can't help telling you how I feel." He kissed the top of her head. "Because I love you. So much that if you decide I'm not the one for you, I'll still be glad I fell in love with you."

She pulled back a little and looked up at him again in wonder. Was this Ryouga speaking so poetically? Why had she never seen this side of him before? Maybe he had kept it hidden, just as she had hidden so many parts of herself. "Ryouga…"

Her eyes were shimmering, and suddenly she felt drawn to him. She tilted her head back and leaned forward ever so slightly, bringing her mouth a little closer to his. Her eyes were half-closed. He smiled, lowering his head, and they kissed, a gentle, tender kiss, that was somehow passionate all the same, just from the connection it made between them.

Ranko felt something as she kissed him, a longing for something she couldn't even identify, much less express, yet joyous at the same time. Her mind seemed a maelstrom of swirling emotions. Something intangible passed between them through their lips, something she couldn't put a name to. The more she felt she got from him, the more she wanted to give to him in return.

Finally, the kiss ended, and they once more looked into each other's eyes. Ranko couldn't take her eyes off of his. Warm, gentle… loving. She shook her head slightly; she felt as if her heart were being torn in two, by a tug of war between fear of what this burgeoning relationship meant, and… and something else. Something that made her want to hold onto him and not let go. She snuggled into his shoulder again, and he held her, still not saying anything.

After a time, she spoke, her voice almost a whisper. "Ryouga?"

"Mmmm?"

"You… you know how you told Noriko that you were my boyfriend?"

He grimaced. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said I was your boyfriend. We're just dating, right?"

She snorted. "N-no. We're… we're not just dating. Not any more. I… I've been lying to myself. What happened just now couldn't have happened if we were just dating. I… I wouldn't _feel_ this way…" She shook her head. "You… you were right. You are my boyfriend. Ryouga, I… I… I…" she stopped speaking.

"Shhhh." He stroked her hair gently. "It's OK. It's OK." He held her quietly for a few moments. "I know this has been going too fast for you. I can wait—years, if that's what it takes. I'll try my best to do this the way you want. Because all I want is for you to be happy. I don't want you to be frightened."

She shivered again. "It's… it's what I want that I'm afraid of…"

* * *

The next morning, Ryouga insisted on walking Akane and Ranko to school. No, on _leading_ Akane and Ranko to school. They reached the gates, then paused.

Ranko looked up at him, and blushed. She was still overwhelmed by what had happened on the roof last night. "I'll… I'll see you tonight." A grin split her face as her humor returned a little. "It's so weird to be able to count on something like that!"

He smiled, and moved to kiss her. "No, not here in front of everyone!" she protested, but it was too late.

"You there! Hibiki! How dare you attempt to kiss the beauteous Saotome Ranko!"

All three sighed and turned around to face the Blue Thunder of Fuurinkan High School. Meanwhile, heads popped out of windows like dandelions from a lawn after a spring rain.

"Did he say 'kiss'?" "I thought she liked girls! Damn, I coulda asked her out!" "Didn't they used to fight all the time?" "Whoa, way to go, Ranko-chan!"

Ranko sighed and put her hand over her eyes.

Kunou didn't like being ignored. "Answer me, cur!"

_Ryouga, **please** don't say it in front of the whole school…_

"Hey! She's my girlfriend, OK? I'll kiss her if I want to!"

_He said it…_

"Girlfriend?" "Man, I missed my chance! Now it's too late!" "But he wanted to kill her! I wonder when they made up?" "Wow… I guess she's a girl after all…" "_Definitely_ way to go, Ranko-chan!" "Think they've done 'it' yet?"

Ranko turned bright red, and Akane's battle aura started to glow.

Kunou spluttered. "You dare pretend to the honor of companion to the fire-haired maiden? It is an outrage! I will not permit it!" He charged at Ryouga, his bokken raised.

Ryouga just stood there, watching Kunou, making no effort to move. The bokken swung towards Ryouga's undefended side, and Ranko's heart leapt into her throat. She wanted to leap and intercept the bokken herself, but she had waited too long, certain that Ryouga could handle Kunou easily. Why wasn't he _doing_ anything? She watched in helpless agony.

At the last moment, Ryouga, who had been watching the bokken carefully, reached out one finger and said quietly, "Bakusai Tenketsu." The bokken touched his finger and promptly exploded, peppering Kunou with wood fragments. The kendoist stopped, and slowly toppled over.

Ryouga grinned, and turned to Ranko. "Works every time. You know…" He trailed off. Ranko was glaring at him, tears running down her face. "R-Ranko?"

"Baka! Did you have to show off like that? I… I thought he was going to _hurt_ you!" Akane drew a sharp breath. Several of the girls watching from the windows sighed.

Ryouga's heart twisted a little, in a way both painful and exhilarating. "I, uhhh… Even if he had, it wouldn't have hurt much. You know me." He grinned sheepishly. "I'm… I'm sorry…"

Ranko stared at him for a long moment, then blushed deeply. His embrace was so gentle, and it had been so long since they had fought, she had forgotten he had the strength of a monster. This was a man who could stop a charging boar with one hand. "Oh… right. Heh." _Oh, Kami-sama, did I ever just make a fool of myself, and in front of the whole school. Ranko no baka…_

She wiped her tears away. Still blushing, she nodded. "I'll… I'll see you later, OK?"

He smiled. "OK."

Ranko and Akane—who was trying desperately to keep a smile off her face—turned and walked into the school. Ranko continued to blush and look at the ground as she walked, trying hard to ignore the fact that the thought of Ryouga being hurt had frightened her terribly.

Ryouga watched them enter the school, and just stood there for a while. He sighed, turned away, and started to walk back to the Tendou Dojo, listening to the directions coming through his earphone. He hadn't been to school in so long, and it embarrassed him. How could he hope to run his own dojo, not even having attended high school? He shook his head. What was the use? He couldn't very well attend school if he got lost all the…

Suddenly, he stopped, his eyes wide. He slowly turned around and looked back at the school.

* * *

Ranko was headed from the restroom towards the cafeteria for lunch when Sayuri walked up to her. The rest of her class had already gone on ahead, and Ranko was surprised that Sayuri had not as well. "Ranko-chan?"

Ranko felt a little nervous; Sayuri looked quite serious. "Yes, Sayuri-chan?"

"I just wanted to give you something. I think you'll find it really useful considering what's going on in your life right now."

Ranko was nonplussed. "Really? Th-thank you. What… what is it?"

Sayuri pressed something into her hands; it felt like a… book? "This. I really think it will come in handy."

Ranko nodded uncertainly, and Sayuri turned and started to walk away.

Ranko looked at what was in her hands; it was a large glossy magazine. "Graceful Wedding…" Suddenly, she turned beet red. "Sayuri-channnn!" She heard laughter drifting from down the hall, and took off in pursuit.

She paused at the school entrance; had Sayuri gone outside? She thought so. She decided to put on her outside shoes and go check.

After a couple of minutes, she took a last look around, and gave up; Sayuri was nowhere to be seen. She must have been mistaken about the way her friend had gone.

She allowed herself a laugh; Sayuri was too good a friend to have meant it as anything other than good-natured teasing after her display in front of the school that morning. She looked at the magazine she was holding and laughed again. As if she would need to read something like this!

Five minutes later, she was deep into the magazine, checking out the photographs, and wandering back towards the school to eat. She was just wondering how she would look in the wedding gown on page 110 when she bumped into a tree. She looked up in confusion. Hadn't she been heading towards the school? Where was she?

Suddenly, a hideous thought occurred to her: "Oh, Kami-sama, I kissed him, and it's _contagious_!" She looked around and caught sight of the school, then realized where she was and let out a sigh of relief. She snorted at herself for thinking of such an outlandish idea; she had merely been distracted and not watching where she was going. It was a good thing Sayuri hadn't been around to see her that engrossed in the magazine. Feeling more than a little silly, she stuck it under her arm and headed back; she would have to hurry to have time enough to eat lunch.

She was about to enter the cafeteria when Yuka intercepted her, eyeing the magazine. "Ranko-chan, I don't think it would be a good idea to take that into the cafeteria right now." She looked worried.

Ranko smiled. "It's a very good idea! I need to give it back to its rightful owner." She winked. "In full view of everyone else." She offered an evil grin and marched in, the magazine still under her arm. Yuka was left talking to empty air, and scrambled to follow her.

She spotted Sayuri and her other friends at their usual table, and headed over. Time for a little payback teasing. There was a male student sitting at the table as well, though she couldn't see his face. All the better. _Let's see_, she thought, _how about "Sayuri-chan, here's your magazine back. I know you couldn't bear to part with it for long!"_

As she marched up to the table, Sayuri spotted her and turned pale. She tried to wave Ranko off, her eyes filled with panic. Her mouth was saying "No… no… no…" silently. Ranko grinned. This was going to be fun.

Akane spotted her and turned ashen, and started making warding motions too. Ranko stopped behind the boy and said "Oh, not you too, Sis."

The boy turned around, and Ranko's heart stopped. It was Ryouga, in a Fuurinkan uniform. And she had a thick bridal magazine under her arm.

"There you are! I was wondering what was keeping you." He stood up and spread out his arms, showing off the uniform. "So, what do you think?"

"R… R… R…" was all she could manage.

"Surprised, huh? I figured that now that I can find my way around, I could start going to school again, so I registered here this morning." He smiled. "I want to run my own dojo, and I need an education for that." He put his hand behind his head, a little embarrassed. "I've got some catching up to do."

Abject terror and pride warred in Ranko's heart. Abject terror was winning. "That's… that's really wonderful, Ryouga! W-w-what a surprise!"

He laughed. "Yeah. All your friends just about turned white when I showed up at the table here! Guess I surprised them, too." His eyes spotted something. "What's that?"

Ranko swallowed. "What's what?"

"That thing under your arm. It looks like a thick magazine."

Yuka sidled up behind Ranko, and surreptitiously slid the magazine out from under her arm as she went past. Ranko tried to persuade her heart to stop pounding.

She lifted her arms. "I don't have anything under my arms. See?" She shrugged cutely. Yuka walked casually around the table and sat down—on top of something. Ranko glared at Sayuri, whose face showed miserable embarrassment, and whose eyes spoke of profound, heartfelt apologies.

Ryouga frowned. "That's odd, I could've sworn…"

Ranko smiled shakily. "I'll… I'll be right back. I forgot my bento."

Akane spoke up. "I already brought yours, Sis." She pointed at the cloth-wrapped box at the empty seat next to Ryouga's.

Ranko sat down next to Ryouga, and shivered. That had been close…

As she started to calm down, she finally was able to focus on Ryouga's good news. She took his arm and smiled. "Ryouga, I'm so happy for you. I know how much missing school has bothered you. Congratulations." Ryouga was grinning from ear to ear, and they just looked at each other for a long moment.

Ranko's friends smiled, the prank gone awry forgotten for the time being. Yuka's thoughts went to the contents of the magazine she was sitting on, and she sighed.

Later, when it was time for PE, Ranko and Ryouga walked towards the locker rooms together. "Watch out in the locker room. When they find out you turn into a girl, they'll try to splash you." Ranko blushed. "I always just beat them up, and it seemed to hold them off for a few months."

Ryouga snorted and cracked his knuckles. "Don't worry." They reached the locker room doors and paused. "Thanks for the heads up."

She grinned impishly. "Hey, we girls have to stick together… Ryouko-chan." She winked, and he gave her a sour look, but didn't say anything; her teasing didn't really bother him any more. They parted.

In the locker room Ranko was startled to find herself mobbed by more of her friends.

Megumi said "Ranko-chan, he is majorly cute! Way to go, girl!"

The other girls chimed in their agreement. "The whole school is talking about you guys!" Ranko sighed; when was the whole school _not_ talking about her?

One of the other girls feigned a pout. "Why didn't I notice how cute he was before? His first day at school and he's taken already! No fair!" Everyone laughed.

As she changed her clothes for PE, she wondered what she would have thought six months ago if someone had told her that by the end of the year, she would be in the girl's locker room, being congratulated for having a "majorly cute" boyfriend. She giggled. Or that she was Akane's long lost "twin sister", or that she would be thinking very seriously of becoming a violinist instead of a martial arts sensei. She shook her head. Wow. Sometimes, just thinking about all this still overwhelmed her.

She finished changing, straightened up, and gently closed her locker. "Ranma" would have run for the hills, terrified of what such a life represented. But she wouldn't trade her life right now for anything; she was too happy, even with all the pressures and uncertainties of her relationship with Ryouga. She smiled slightly, her eyes unfocused, and again silently thanked Kami-sama for what had happened last summer. _Thank you for letting me be me…_

Akane walked up, and tilted her head, almost as if she knew what was going through Ranko's mind. They smiled wordlessly at each other, then headed off to the gym.

* * *

End Chapter 12

Tuesday, September 12, 2000

**Copyright Notice**

The characters and stories of Ranma ½ are Copyright © Rumiko Takahashi, and are used here without permission or license.

No claims to the above copyright are made by the author of this work.

This work is for non-commercial use ONLY, and is produced for the enjoyment of fans only.

This work is the expression of the author and the depiction of the Ranma ½ characters herein are in no way represented to be a part of Ranma ½ as depicted by the original author and copyright holder(s).


	13. Chapter 13: Too Much of a Good Thing

Genma's Daughter

By ClassicalGal

Original concept and parts of chapter 1 by Nesin Evets

Chapter 13: Too Much of a Good Thing

* * *

Ranko's bow drew the last note, but she continued to hold it and her violin at the ready, her eyes half-closed as if she were in a trance. She was far, far away, in a place of unearthly beauty, and she was reluctant to return. For she had made that place herself, following the blueprints of one Johann Sebastian Bach.

The applause shook her out of it, and she lowered her instrument. Her Sensei and Murata-Sensei were both clapping their hands furiously. Murata-sensei stood. "Brava! Magnificent!" Ranko blushed furiously and studied the floor.

The two teachers came over, and Murata-sensei was still excited. "Ranko-chan, that was superb. You've mastered it." He shook his head. "No, not just mastered it. You've even explored it a little on your own, put a little of yourself into it. That wasn't just Bach by the book, it was a little bit of you, too. That's the beginnings of what could make you a great artist." Ranko was a little dazed, but also blushed with pride.

The professor went and sat down again, still shaking his head. "Ranko-chan, if you want to come study under me, just say the word. I would love to work with you."

Ranko wandered over to a desk herself, and sat down. This kind of talk wasn't terrifying her as it had before; far from it. She didn't know what she wanted to do yet, it was still a bit overwhelming, but she found all this… exhilarating. Like the Art, it just went on and on; there was always something new to learn. She felt it beckoning her to a lifetime of exploration. Being a martial arts sensei was seeming more and more like a dream of childhood, something she was outgrowing. She had changed, and what she wanted out of life had changed, too.

Kobayakawa-sensei brought the conversation back to earth. "Now Ranko-chan, you need to keep practicing this until the performance. Now that you've got it mastered, that shouldn't take much time." She thought a moment. "I would like to give you something new to work on over the New Year's holiday, too, but you've already gone far beyond the lessons I had planned out. I'll have to replan where we should go from here. I'll have something for you after the recital, so for now just practice the Gavotte en Rondeau and relax a little. You've earned it."

Murata-sensei was beaming. "Yes, indeed." Suddenly he seemed struck by inspiration. "We should celebrate! I think Ranko-chan deserves a reward for all that hard work." He smiled at the teenager. "Is there anything you'd like to do this afternoon, my dear? Just as a little celebration?"

Ranko took a few moments to focus on the question and think; she was still euphoric after playing. Slowly, a grin split her face. "I would _really_ love a hot fudge sundae right now."

"Hot fudge it shall be!" proclaimed the professor. He shook his head again. "I still can't believe it. You play like a second- or third-year student now! Amazing. It must be those martial arts you've been practicing all your life. I'd love to see you demonstrate them some time."

Ranko smiled. "How about now?" Both the adults looked at each other, then back to Ranko. She suppressed a giggle; they looked like children who had just been invited to the circus.

Ranko looked around the room briefly, then said "Kobayakawa-sensei, would you mind getting that can of pencils on that desk over there?" Ranko's teacher complied, her face awash in curiosity. "How many pencils would you say are in it?"

The older woman looked at the can for a moment. "I'd say around thirty."

Ranko stood. "OK, I want you to throw it at me."

"Throw it at you?"

"Yes, please. Hold onto the can so only the pencils come at me. Stand about where you are now." She was about twenty feet from the older woman.

Sensei blinked. "Won't you be hurt? Surely you can't catch them all?"

"If I was still training hard I could catch a few hundred. This should be OK."

Kobayakawa-sensei boggled, and Murata-sensei leaned forward intently.

Ranko nodded her head. "Whenever you're ready, Sensei."

Kobayakawa-sensei lobbed the can of pencils underhanded, but held onto the can so the pencils came flying at Ranko in a loose agglomeration, spreading out like the shot from a shotgun. Ranko shouted "Kachuu Tenshin Amaguriken!"…

…and both adults gasped as, for all intents and purposes, her arms disappeared. There was just a vague blur, and then suddenly, Ranko was holding two fistfuls of pencils. She grinned and curtsied.

Both teachers' jaws hung open for several seconds. Murata-sensei finally found his voice. "Amazing…" He swallowed. "It's starting to make sense… You have incredible control over your arms, hands, and fingers… No wonder…" He smiled. "'Roasting Imperial Chestnut Attack?' Who taught that to you? Your father?"

Ranko laughed. "No, a one hundred fifty year old Chinese Amazon matriarch." Their jaws dropped again.

Finally, Kobayakawa-sensei spoke. "I'm think I'm starting to understand some of the stories I've heard about you, Ranko-chan." She shook her head and laughed. "What do you say we go for that ice cream?"

Ranko smiled and rushed to put her violin away.

Half an hour later, both teachers were grinning indulgently as Ranko worked methodically on her second hot fudge sundae. She seemed to be as intent in attacking it as she had been when playing the violin. No droplet of ice cream, hot fudge, or whipped cream was so small that it could be allowed to escape. The spoon scraped every square millimeter of the dish clean. The adults worked on their rather more modest confections as they watched.

Finally, Ranko sat back, satiated. It was a good thing she was still working out in Anything-Goes for an hour every day, or she could never get away with this. Even so, she'd had to scale back her eating quite a bit: she just wasn't burning enough calories anymore. She smiled blissfully, and carefully suppressed a burp that would have been most unladylike, eliciting laughter from her teachers.

Kobayakawa-sensei suddenly seemed distracted for a moment. "Oh, Ranko-chan, I almost forgot. If you don't mind my asking, what are your three sizes? I want to rent a formal gown for you to wear to the recital. All of my students will be wearing formal wear; it's traditional." She blushed. "If it embarrasses you you can write your sizes down rather than say them out loud."

Ranko started to respond, then stopped, a strange look in her eyes. Slowly, her face broke into a wry grin. "Actually, Sensei, I don't think you'll need to rent a gown for me…"

* * *

It was late afternoon at the Nekohanten, and the dinner rush hadn't started yet. Shampoo sat at one of the tables doing her homework, her attention tightly focused. She wrote steadily, pausing occasionally to look something up in one of the textbooks strewn across the table. Occasionally, she would put her head in her hands, stare at her work for a while, then erase something and resume writing.

Cologne watched her great-granddaughter from behind the counter, a bemused smile on her face. After some initial resistance, Shampoo had started taking her studies seriously. She was already pestering Cologne to invest in a computer so she could work on her assignments more easily. Maybe there was hope for the girl yet.

Cologne looked up as the door chime signaled, and smiled. Ranko was standing there, still in her Fuurinkan uniform, carrying her briefcase and violin. She had a shy smile on her face.

Shampoo looked up and smiled as well. "Ranko! Hey girl, what's the occasion?"

Ranko grinned; Shampoo's Japanese had improved immeasurably, and was now not only mostly correct but colloquial as well. She and Ucchan had been hanging out together recently, and it was starting to show in Shampoo's speech. "I wanted to ask Great-Grandmother something."

Cologne hopped around the counter and into the dining room. "Come in, child. Have a seat." Ranko joined Shampoo at her table, and Cologne sat down as well.

"What is it, my dear? Do you need help with something?"

Ranko blushed and shook her head. "No, Great-Grandmother. I… I was just wondering… if… if you were planning on…" she paused, and took a deep breath, "on coming to the talent show at Fuurinkan next Tuesday evening?"

Cologne and Shampoo looked at each other, and Shampoo giggled. "Yes, I had been planning to attend. Shampoo will be participating."

Ranko was both astonished and happy. "Really? What are you going to be doing?"

Shampoo grinned. "That… is a secret."

Ranko was intrigued, but decided not to press. "Anyway… I… my music sensei is having a recital for her students as part of the show, and… and I'm going to be one of the students performing, and… I… I wanted you to be there." She blushed and looked down.

Cologne smiled warmly. Ranko might not be a warrior any more, but she most definitely had a place in Cologne's heart. "Thank you, my dear. Of course I'll be there." She thought for a moment. "Why did you want me to come?"

Ranko looked up at Cologne. "I wanted you to come because if it weren't for you, I wouldn't be playing the violin."

Cologne laughed. "How could that be? I'm no music sensei!"

Ranko shook her head. "Yes, you are. Let me show you." She opened her violin case, took her violin out, and prepared it for play, as Shampoo and Cologne watched intently. They'd never heard her play before.

Finished with her tuning, Ranko raised her violin to her chin and took up her bow. She wasn't going to play her Bach piece; she wanted to surprise them with that at the recital. Instead, she ran her mind over the Tchaikovsky piece her Sensei had originally wanted her to play. "Watch."

She played the short piece as the two Amazons watched carefully. When she was done, she lowered her instrument. "Well?"

Cologne nodded thoughtfully. "I see. You've applied the skills I've taught you to your music. Very interesting." She laughed. "Isn't that the precept of your family's school? To press any technique at all into service as needed?"

Ranko's jaw dropped. "You're… you're right. I never thought of it that way." She smiled. "I guess this counts as 'Anything-Goes', too." She laughed. "Maybe I'll turn out to be a martial arts violinist after all!" Shampoo and Cologne looked confused, then shrugged.

"Ranko, is that what you're going to play at the recital?" asked Shampoo. Ranko shook her head. "Then what _are_ you going to play?"

Ranko grinned. "That… is a secret." Both girls burst into giggles.

* * *

Ranko smiled at her assembled family. "You're sure you don't want to wait for the recital?"

Akane shook her head. "I told you I wanted to hear you master this from beginning to end. You've been holed up in the Dojo, and I've been too busy with play rehearsal to come out and listen to you." She grinned. "I want to hear it. Now." There was a loud chorus of agreement from the rest of the family.

Ranko smiled in resignation. She wished her mother were here, too, but she'd get to hear it this weekend, since Ranko would be practicing straight through.

"All right…" She spent a few moments entering the calm state of mind she needed, then lifted her bow to her violin, and began to play.

There was no movement in the Tendou living room for the next three minutes or so, and no sound but that of Ranko's violin.

When she was done, her family sat for a few moments, somewhat awed, before bursting into applause. Akane rushed over and hugged Ranko. "I knew it. I knew you could do it! Didn't I tell you?" She beamed. "I'm so proud of you!"

Ranko smiled and blushed, a little teary. She whispered in her sister's ear, "Thank you for pounding some sense into me when I was ready to give up," and hugged her back, fiercely.

Inwardly, she worried a little as well. She had come close to losing control at a few points, though not quite. She definitely still needed more practice before the recital to get it absolutely perfect. And that was something she was determined to do.

Kasumi, Nabiki, and Ryouga crowded around her as well, and Nabiki caught Ranko's gaze. Nabiki was looking at her in a way she had never seen before. Ranko had seen Nabiki look at her with contempt, with irritation, with indifference, with avarice, and more recently, with amused affection and—amazing given their history—the love of a big sister. But this was new: Nabiki was looking at her with respect. Ranko didn't quite know what to make of that. She blushed, and Nabiki grinned at her.

"So what now, Ranko?" asked Nabiki. "What's next?"

"I'm not sure. Sensei said she would come up with something for me to work on after the new year."

Nabiki shook her head. "I mean, where do you go from here, with your violin?"

Ranko's eyes looked past Nabiki, at nothing in particular. "I… I'm thinking pretty seriously about becoming a violinist. I'm still not sure, though." Inwardly, she chided herself for being so indecisive.

The amused smile on Nabiki's face told Ranko that she was not fooling her big sister. She looked around at the rest of her family, and noticed the one person whose face held some pain…

Later that evening, Ranko knocked on her father's door. "Come in," she heard from inside.

She slid the door open, and looked around. The room was not nearly as intimidating without Happousai's bizarre belongings, most of all his enormous collection of ladies' underwear. Kasumi had smiled a little brighter the day she had collected it into a huge pile and burned it. Ranko was rather looking forward to seeing the old pervert's reaction when he found out. Assuming he lived that long…

Her father was sitting on his futon. He smiled when he saw her. "What is it, sweetheart?"

Ranko went over and knelt across from him. "Father, I… I wanted to talk to you." She gathered her courage. "About the Art."

Genma's face became grim. "Yes?"

She blushed and looked down. "I know you're disappointed. I know you wanted me to be a great martial artist and a sensei, and I know… that's not going to happen now." Genma looked away for a moment, trying to hide his feelings.

"I just wanted you to know that even though I'm not practicing the Art the way you might want me to any more, I haven't forgotten it. I haven't put it behind me. It's still a part of everything I do."

Her father looked confused. "I don't understand…"

She moved to sit beside him, and put her hands on her knees. "I'm talking about my violin. It's not the Art, but somehow, it still is. Everything I learned from you, I've needed to play the violin. If you hadn't taught me the Art, I couldn't play it the way I do.

"I stopped by this afternoon to invite Cologne to my recital, and we talked about it. I asked her to come see me play because she helped me learn the violin, by teaching me those Amazon techniques. She pointed out that adapting those skills to the violin was an example of taking a technique and using it however you could to your advantage. In other words… our family's school." She tilted her head, and her father's expression grew thoughtful.

She leaned her head on his shoulder, taking his arm. "I know you feel like I've forsaken everything you taught me, like all the years you put into training me are going to waste, and I know that's hurt you. I wanted you to know that… that I don't think that's the case. I'm not applying it to martial arts, but I'm still using it, every day. Father, you, more than anyone else, taught me what I needed to know to play the violin. And playing the violin is… is what I think I want to do with my life." She smiled up at him. "Thank you."

Genma smiled back at her, and felt a little bit of his disappointment leave him. "You're really using what I taught you?"

She nodded. "All of it." She winced. "Well… except the… the…" She couldn't even say it.

He winced, too. "Right."

They both sighed.

After a time, Ranko started looking around the room once more. It was rather sparse; like her, her father had not had the luxury of carting many possessions along on their travels. Her eyes paused on some photographs on top of the dresser which was the sole piece of furniture in the room.

She smiled as she saw that they were mostly photographs of her. Her at age three, peering at the camera with that intensity that seemed peculiar to small children, a goofy grin on her face. A picture of her playing her violin, which she hadn't remembered being taken (probably Nabiki's doing…). The photo Nabiki had taken of she and Ryouga heading off on their first date. Ranko sighed; it had seemed so innocent, just one date, to see if they liked it…

Her eyes found the next photo, and she frowned. "Who's…" She stopped.

"Who's who?"

Ranko swallowed. She had been about to ask who the boy was that her father had a photo of, when she realized it was her. Him. Ranma. She hadn't even recognized who it was for a few moments. The photo had been taken less than a year ago, while they were still on the road, shortly before Jusenkyou.

Though she knew intellectually that she had been a boy, she found she simply couldn't get her head around the idea any more. As she looked at the picture, her skin started to crawl. _That… that used to be __**me**__…_

Genma was about to repeat his question, but followed her gaze to the photo, and decided to hold his tongue. Ranko's emotions were always easy to read, and right now she was radiating discomfort and unhappiness. He bit his lip as he once again reflected on whose fault that was.

Ranko tried to remember being a boy, and had great difficulty doing so. Learning the Neko-ken, meeting Ucchan, traveling with her father, meeting Ryouga, attending Fuurinkan, even Jusenkyou; when she thought back over her life, she remembered herself as a girl. It made no sense, but there it was: she even remembered falling into the Nyanniichuan as Ranko! She could remember everything she had seen, done, and felt as Ranma, but she couldn't remember _being_ him.

If she thought really hard, she could just barely conjure up a memory of being male. She was sure that in a year or two she wouldn't be able to do even that. She shivered slightly. Ranma wasn't just dead, he was being erased. She was glad she hadn't known her memory would play tricks on her like this, or she would have been even more terrified by the idea of becoming Ranko again.

She shook herself, and looked up to speak to her father, then stopped: he was regarding her with a sad, penetrating gaze. She looked at him, questioning, and he seemed to come to some kind of decision. He reached one arm around her and held her, her head again leaning into his shoulder.

"I'm very proud of what you've done with your violin, sweetheart. As long as you always do your best, I'll always be proud of you, no matter what you do. You will never disappoint me." He squeezed her a little and smiled.

Ranko relaxed into his embrace, her worries fading. "Thank you, Father. That… that means a lot to me." She smiled up at him, and he smiled back.

They sat that way for a while, until Ranko finally made a motion to get up. "It's late, Father. I have school tomorrow, and I should let you go to bed." She kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you again."

She went to the door and paused, as they smiled at each other one last time. "O-yasumi nasai." Ranko went out and closed the door behind her, Genma's "O-yasumi" following her out.

Genma stood and went over to the dresser, and angrily snatched the photo of Ranma off the top. He stalked over to the wastebasket and held the picture over it, as if to drop it in. He stood there for a minute, still holding the portrait, but not moving.

Finally, he seemed to slump a little, his anger leaving him. He walked slowly back to the dresser, opened a drawer, and gently placed the photograph inside, face down. He closed the drawer, and leaned on the dresser, his hand over his eyes.

* * *

"Ryouga-kun, come quick!"

Ryouga hurried his pace as he headed towards the Tendou dining area. Akane's voice had called out in excitement, not alarm, so he wasn't worried. He was running a little late this morning—he was still getting used to the routine of school mornings again.

He had spent so much time in the Tendou home he could even find his way around, for the most part. As he came down the hall he heard the television, and Ranko and Akane's voices.

"Oh, look at them!"

"They are sooooo cute!"

"Ryouga, hurry!"

He hurried to the doorway and took in the scene. Ranko, Akane, and Nabiki were dressed for school, and were watching the TV along with Kasumi as they ate breakfast. He turned his eyes to the television…

His jaw dropped. "Shirokuro!" His family dog was on TV!

Ranko turned to him. "It _is_ your dog, isn't it? I thought I remembered her, and they said the family name was Hibiki." She turned back. "They have this program where people can make requests, and Shirokuro was on it! She had puppies, and they're asking the family to come home." She sighed. "They're soooo cute… I'd love to hold them." Akane sighed, too.

He looked at the puppies on TV, and felt a pang of homesickness. If only he could live at home, so he could be there for things like this. But he couldn't find his way…

Everyone jumped when Ryouga suddenly shouted "_Yessss!_"

Ranko tried to get her nerves back under control. "What… what is it?"

"I can go home! I can live at home! I don't have to be a wanderer any more!"

Nabiki snorted. "I was wondering how long it was going to take you to figure that out."

Ryouga shrugged. "I'm not used to thinking this way." He slowly broke into a smile. "But now, all I have to do is put in the address…" He trailed off, a horrified look spreading over his face.

All four girls were staring at him. "You don't know your own address, do you?" asked Nabiki.

Ryouga slowly sank to his knees, shaking his head.

Ranko giggled. "Don't worry. I used to take you home all the time in junior high. I'll take you there after school, and then you can put it in your gadget." She smiled. "I want to see Shirokuro's puppies, too!" She turned to Akane. "How about you, Sis?"

Akane shook her head and sighed. "I'd love to, but I have play practice this afternoon."

Ryouga's heart beat a little faster. There was practically no chance his parents would be there. He and Ranko could spend some time alone, just the two of them! He'd show her his home, his room, the souvenirs from his travels, h-h-his b-bed… He wrenched his mind away from that train of thought just in time to avert a major nosebleed.

He swallowed. "Thanks. It… it'll be nice to go home. I don't think I've been there in a year."

The girls peered at him in shock. "That long?" whispered Ranko.

He moved to the table, and Kasumi started to serve him some rice. "Yeah. Usually I can make it there every few months, but not this year. I didn't even know Shirokuro was going to have puppies. Haven't seen Mom or Dad in a while, either." He sighed. "They're not likely to be there. They have the same problem I do with my sense of direction. Most of the time when I make it home, there's no one there."

Ranko felt her heart ache in sympathy. "You must be lonely."

Ryouga shrugged, and picked up the rice bowl which Kasumi had placed in front of him. "I got used to it." He lifted a bite with his chopsticks, but paused, grinning. "Besides, I'm not as lonely these days."

Ranko blushed furiously as her sisters grinned.

* * *

Ryouga was standing at the school gates, his patience wearing a little thin. He had just checked his watch—again—when he saw Ranko come out the doors of Fuurinkan with her friends. She waved to them, and hurried in his direction, a sheepish look on her face.

"Sorry… I got held up."

He shook his head, smiling. "It's OK. It's been a year. Five more minutes won't hurt."

They turned and walked out the gates. Ranko furrowed her brow and looked up and down the street. "Let's see…" She nodded to herself. "This way!" They set off.

As they walked, their hands found each other. Ranko smiled up at Ryouga and he smiled back; she briefly pressed her head against his shoulder. For a few blocks, they didn't say anything.

Suddenly, Ranko came to a stop. "Uh oh."

"What is it?"

"I… I only remember the shortcut."

"Is that a problem?"

She blushed. "It's a problem if you're wearing a dress. It's over the rooftops." She grinned. "I never had to worry about what I was wearing before."

He bit his lip. "You don't remember the way through the streets?" She shook her head.

Suddenly he smiled. "I have an idea."

"What?"

Without another word, Ryouga scooped her up, holding her in his arms. Ranko let out a shriek, nearly causing him to drop her.

"What's wrong?" _I can't believe how __**light**__ she is…_

Ranko gulped. "N-nothing. You just caught me by surprise, is all." She felt overwhelmed; she had never been held like this by anyone, not since she was a small child. Instinctively, she put her arms around his neck. As she overcame her shock, a rather nice feeling started to spread through her. A dreamy smile came over her face, and she nestled a little closer to him.

"Which way?"

She shook herself out of the pleasant distraction, and took one arm off his neck for a moment to point to the rooftops: "That way." With that, he leapt, and Ranko found that being carried through the air in someone's arms was nothing like doing the acrobatics yourself. Not being in control made it a lot more nerve-wracking. No wonder Akane had complained all the time…

Still, something about being in Ryouga's arms prevented her from protesting… She tried to focus on giving him directions and not on the strong arms that cradled her gently as they flew over the rooftops of Nerima. She wasn't entirely successful, and found herself being mesmerized by the experience.

Despite this, they stayed more or less on course, and eventually came to a series of pilings crossing a canal. Ryouga scanned them warily. "That way?"

"Yes. Sorry about this…"

He grinned his fang-toothed grin. "No problem." With that he started leaping from piling to piling. Ranko wasn't worried; she knew Ryouga was as good as she had been. Something started nagging at her mind, though…

Suddenly she gasped. "Ryouga, the fifth piling! It's…"

There was a crack as the piling collapsed under their combined weight and they both landed in the river.

Ranko spit out some water. "…rotten."

Ryouga tugged at the sleeves on her suddenly oversized, very wet school jacket and snorted. "Yeah."

Ranko flushed and lowered her eyes. "Gomen…"

Ryouga shook her head. "It's OK." She noticed that Ranko was starting to shiver. _That's right, she gets cold really easily. Come to think of it, I'm getting colder than I usually do as a guy._ "Come on, let's get out of this river." The two waded over to shore.

They spent a few moments squeezing their clothes out a bit. Ryouga bit her lip as Ranko started to sneeze repeatedly. "We'd better get moving. That will warm you up."

Ranko nodded, and they set off running. After a short while, Ranko came to an abrupt halt, leaning heavily against a wall and holding one of her calves. "Owwww…"

Ryouga flashed to her side. "What is it?"

"My… my leg. It's cramping up from the cold." She shivered again, and looked like she was turning pale.

Ryouga was starting to really worry. "I'll carry you again." With that, she once again swept Ranko up in her arms, noting that she didn't seem quite as lightweight as before. She was somewhat waterlogged, and Ryouga wasn't as strong as she was as a boy.

Still, they were not far from the Hibiki home, and as they came up the street a black and white blur came charging to meet them.

Ryouga gently set Ranko down and kneeled with her arms open. "Shirokuro! Here girl!" Shirokuro leapt into her master's embrace, seemingly not even aware that he was currently a girl. Ryouga hugged her dog fiercely, quiet joy on her face. Ranko forgot her chills for a moment and enjoyed the reunion. _He's been away from home so much…_ She wiped a tear away.

Ranko's sneeze caused Ryouga to break the embrace and stand up. "Let's get inside." With Shirokuro trotting beside them, wagging her tail furiously, they walked up to Ryouga's front door.

"Just a minute." She pulled her GPS receiver out of her pocket; thank goodness Nabiki had gotten the water-resistant model. She punched the button to record her current location, and entered a name for it: Home. Ryouga suddenly found herself fighting back tears of her own. _Home… I'm home…_

A short, happy bark from Shirokuro shook her out of it. She slid the door open with a huge smile on her face, and as they stepped inside to take off their shoes she called out "Tadaima!"

She turned to Ranko. "I just like saying it, really. There's almost no chance Mom and Dad…" She stopped, her eyes bugging out, when a call of "O-kaeri!" came drifting back down the hall. Soon thereafter, a middle-aged man and woman appeared, the woman carrying a dishtowel; she must have come from the kitchen.

Ranko's suspicions were confirmed when Ryouga stepped forward, shock on her face. "Mom? Dad? What on Earth are you doing here? And at the same time!"

Ryouga's father turned to her mother. "Aneha? Does Ryouga have a little sister?"

"No, dear."

Her father nodded. "That's what I thought, but I wanted to check. Thought I might have missed another kid while I was gone." He turned to the two girls standing in the genkan. "I'm sorry, young lady, but I think you have the wrong house. This is the Hibiki residence." He looked thoughtful for a moment. "At least, I'm pretty sure…"

Ryouga sighed in exasperation. "I know! It's me, Dad! Ryouga!"

Ryouga's father frowned. "Aneha, was Ryouga a girl?" His wife shook her head. "Didn't think so." He turned back to the visitors, and was about to ask what was going on, when Ranko sneezed again.

Ryouga's mother took a closer look. "Why, the two of you are soaking wet, and in this chilly weather!" She noticed Ranko's color. "You poor thing! You'll catch cold." She turned to her husband. "Youshi, dear…"

He sighed. "I suppose so."

Aneha clucked as she ushered them into the living room, and rushed to and fro, wrapping them in big fluffy towels and warm blankets as her husband watched silently. In short order they were seated, and she came hurrying back with a steaming basin of hot water. She set it gently in front of Ranko, who was shivering uncontrollably. "Now dear, I want you to put your feet in there this instant."

Ranko was all too happy to comply, and let out an involuntary sigh as warmth started to flow into her. She shivered once more, hard, then stopped. She clutched the towel more tightly about herself, and smiled in deep gratitude to her hostess, who beamed in return.

Aneha went to fetch another basin, which she set in front of Ryouga. "You too, young lady."

Ryouga bit her lip. "Yes, Mom." This was going to be interesting.

Youshi shook his head as Ryouga put her feet in the basin. "Young lady, it's more than a little rude to be calling us…" he trailed off as he noticed what was happening.

After a long, long pause, Ryouga's mother whispered "Ryou-chan? Oh, Kami-sama, what has happened to you?"

Ryouga sighed. "It's a long story, Mom. The short version is, I was cursed in China. I turn into a girl when I get splashed with cold water, but hot water turns me back into a boy."

His parents looked to be in shock. His mother came over to embrace him. "Oh, you poor thing!"

Ryouga shook his head. "It's OK, Mom, really. I've learned to live with it."

Ranko smiled. This was a long way from "You've made my life hell!" She was proud of him.

She sneezed again, which drew the Hibikis' attention. She saw Ryouga's mother scrutinizing her; you could almost hear the gears whirring as the older woman realized that this redhead was not a girl who had been accompanying another girl, this redhead was a girl who had been accompanying her _son_. Ryouga's curse receded somewhat in the face of this vital information.

"Ryou-chan, won't you introduce us to your pretty young friend?" Ranko blushed.

"Ummm, Mom, Dad, this is Saotome Ranko. She's… she's my, ummm, girlfriend. We're… we're dating."

Ranko felt the level of scrutiny ratchet up several more notches, now including Ryouga's father. She shivered again as she realized she was being introduced to her boyfriend's parents while looking like something that had been dredged out of a river. Literally.

Ryouga's mother smiled a smile which Ranko thought had a touch of the predatory about it. "How nice! Ranko-chan, I'm so happy to meet you!"

Ranko felt like a frog facing a classroom full of fifth graders. She bowed her head politely. "It's very nice to meet you, Hibiki-sama."

Meanwhile, Youshi was thinking, his brow furrowed. "Saotome… Saotome… I know I've heard that name…"

Aneha's face lit up. "Oh, I remember! That boy who was a friend of Ryou-chan's in junior high. Saotome Ranma, wasn't it? Such a sweet boy! He always used to bring you home." Her face clouded. "But you always seemed to be so mad at him over such trivial things." Ryouga looked down, ashamed.

Aneha peered at Ranko. "Are you related to him? Now that I think of it, there's quite a resemblance, and your names are so similar."

Ranko turned bright red and stared at the floor. Ryouga looked to his embarrassed girlfriend, then turned to his parents. "Mom? Dad? Remember how I said it was a long story?" They both nodded. "I think it's time to tell it."

* * *

A half hour later, Ryouga's parents were still struggling to take in everything their son and his girlfriend had told them.

"Now let me get this straight. You used to turn into a duck?"

Ryouga shook his head. "No Dad, that's Mousse. He turns into a duck. I used to turn into a little black piglet."

"And Ranko-chan here used to be a boy, your classmate, Ranma. And her father turns into a panda."

Ranko nodded, embarrassed. "Y-yes, Hibiki-sama. I was a girl when I was born, but when I was four I got turned into a boy."

"And you thought you were a boy who turned into a girl, but you discovered that you were a girl who turned into a boy."

"Th-that's right. And now I'm a girl all the time. I don't turn into a boy any more." Ranko's stomach was churning. What if Ryouga's parents saw her as some kind of perverted boy, rather than a girl?

Youshi rubbed his eyes. "I think I have a headache."

Aneha had been quietly watching Ranko the entire time. The revelation that Ranko had spent twelve years as a boy had shocked them both, beyond even their shock over the curses, but as she watched, she couldn't see that Ranko was anything but a girl, and a very sweet girl, too. On top of that, she was quite a beauty.

Aneha was a pragmatist.

She hadn't missed the glances between her son and his girlfriend. Ranko seemed shy and uncertain—which certainly made sense given her background—but they clearly cared for each other. Their behavior said they were well past the stage of casual dating. Plans started to form in her mind. The two teenagers were still a little young, but this looked promising.

Ranko was currently holding two of Shirokuro's puppies in her lap, and stroking them nervously as Ryouga told his story. Shirokuro sat by her side, apparently approving of her master's taste. Aneha smiled. Ranko was so shy, she was still tinged pink from embarrassment.

Suddenly, her gaze narrowed. It wasn't embarrassment: Ranko was shivering, despite the fact that she was dry and warm now.

Ryouga was in the middle of telling how he had attacked Ranko on the beach when Aneha got up and went over to the diminutive redhead. "Ranko-chan, are you feeling all right?"

Ranko looked up at her with a slightly dazed look in her eyes, and Aneha put a hand to her forehead. "I thought so. You have a mild fever, dear."

That brought Ryouga up short. "What?" Ranko was sick? Ranma had almost never gotten sick! He felt a pang of guilt, even though he knew it wasn't his fault they had fallen in the river.

Ranko shook her head. "I'm fine, really." She put down the puppies, stood up, and swayed as the room swam about her.

Aneha took her firmly by the arm. "You're ill, dear. You should at least lie down for a while."

"O-OK…" It seemed like a good idea; some time lying down would let her focus her ki and fight off the illness. She allowed herself to be led upstairs to Ryouga's room, where Aneha helped her undress and get into bed. Ryouga's mother watched surreptitiously, and noted with relief that Ranko was definitely a girl.

Shirokuro and some of the puppies had followed, and Ryouga's dog lay her head on Ranko, looking up into her face. Ranko smiled and stroked her a few times. Shirokuro whimpered and lay down on the floor next to the bed. Aneha smiled at all this, and went out to fetch some things.

Ryouga came in as his mother went out, and reflected wryly that while he had thought about Ranko being in his bed, this wasn't what he had had in mind. He sat next to her and took her hand. He gave it a squeeze, and she squeezed back; they smiled at each other. Ranko mused over how much she and Ryouga could say to each other these days without uttering a word.

She looked around the room; it was filled with souvenirs from all over Japan. "Somehow, I thought it would be a little more like the room of a warrior." She smiled.

"It seems like the only times I'm here are to drop off souvenirs." He smiled. "I guess now that I'll be living here the room needs some work."

Aneha returned with some tea and cold compresses, and set about ministering to Ranko.

Ranko smiled gratefully; she felt much more comfortable, and was sure she'd feel better with a little rest. "Thank you, Hibiki-sama. You're very kind."

Ryouga's mother shook her head. "Think nothing of it, dear." She winked. "You're practically a member of the family, anyway." Ranko turned pale.

Aneha paused for a moment. "And please call me Mother."

Ranko's eyes rolled up, and her head lolled to the side.

Aneha turned to Ryouga, who had his hand over his eyes and was shaking his head. "My, I guess she was feeling worse than I thought. The poor dear just passed out."

* * *

Ranko walked slowly up the aisle, clinging to her father's arm. She blushed as the crowd made appreciative comments on what a beautiful bride she was. She was glad she had found the gown she had seen on page 110 of Graceful Wedding. As they approached the altar, she saw Akane, Nabiki, and Kasumi, her bridesmaids. They were all smiling at her and crying, even Nabiki.

And there was Ryouga. He was standing there, elegantly dressed, but still wearing one of his ratty bandannas. His face was filled with wonder as he watched her walk the last few steps; his eyes were full of love. She felt her heart beat a little faster. He looked so handsome…

She handed her bouquet to Akane, her maid of honor, and a look passed between the two of them, a look of love and friendship and understanding. A look that said they would always be sisters.

She turned to face the minister, and the ceremony began. "Do you, Hibiki Ryouga, take Saotome Ranko to be your lawful wedded wife, to have and to hold, to love and to cherish, till death do you part?"

Ranko didn't think Ryouga could look any happier. "I do."

The minister turned to Ranko. "And do you, Saotome Ranko, take Hibiki Ryouga to be your lawful wedded husband, to have and to hold, to love and to cherish, and to be the okami-san, until death do you part?"

"What?" asked Ranko, confused.

Suddenly she was wearing an apron and standing in a shop. The wedding had disappeared, and she was facing Ryouga's mother.

"To be the okami-san, of course! We have a family tofu business, and Ryou-chan is our eldest son. Naturally, he'll take over the business, and you'll be the okami-san!"

"But… but…"

"It's certainly hard work, getting up at 4 AM to make tofu every day! Of course, you'll have to take care of the children, too."

"What? What children?"

Suddenly, she was surrounded by what seemed like a horde of little red-headed, fang-toothed children, clinging to her apron. "Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!"

One of them, a little girl, tugged on her sleeve and said urgently "Mommy? I need to go to the bathroom… but I can't find it!"

Ranko looked around, even more confused. "But… but what about college? What about my violin?"

"College? You don't even need to finish high school!" Ryouga's mother held up the instrument in question. "And this? You won't be needing it any more."

"What?…" whispered Ranko.

And with that, Ryouga's mother snapped the violin in two over her knee.

"_Noooooo!_" screamed Ranko, rising partway out of the bed. Weak and disoriented, she fell back down on the pillow, and looked wildly about. She was in a strange room, in the dark. She was panting and covered in a cold sweat. _Where… where am I…_

Suddenly the door slammed open and the lights came on, and Ryouga was standing there, his hand on the light switch. "What is it? What happened?" Ranko looked at him, and he gulped; there was terror in her eyes. He rushed over to the bed and sat down next to her, taking her hand.

"Ryou… Ryougaaaaa…" Suddenly, she was sobbing, clutching at him, and he took her in his arms, stroking her hair and murmuring comforting words. He was relieved to note that her temperature seemed to be back to normal.

"Shhhh… it's OK… I'm here… I'm here…"

"Where… where am I?"

"In my room. You passed out, and we decided to let you sleep a little."

"How long… ?"

"A couple of hours. It's not quite dinner time yet. I called the Tendous and let Kasumi and your mom know what was going on." Ranko seemed to be calming down. "What happened? Did you have a nightmare?" He'd heard about Ranko's nightmares from Akane.

Ranko nodded shakily.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

_Oh sure, Ryouga, I had a nightmare that I married you._ "N-no… not really. I don't want to think about it." _But I ought to…_

"Do you feel up to coming down to dinner?"

Ranko focused her attention on her body, and decided she was well enough. The sleep had allowed her to recover somewhat, nightmares notwithstanding. "Yes, I think so."

Ryouga nodded towards the closet door, where her Fuurinkan uniform was neatly hung. "My mom cleaned it for you already." He grinned. "She's ruthlessly efficient."

She managed to smile. "OK, I'll get dressed." He nodded and got up to leave. "Ryouga?"

He stopped at the door and turned around. "What?"

She swallowed. "What does your father do for a living?"

Ryouga blinked. "Ummm… He's a salaryman." He grinned. "He makes surprise inspections. No one ever knows when or where he'll show up. Even him. Why?"

Ranko sagged in relief. "Just curious." Ryouga nodded and left, looking puzzled.

A few minutes later, all eyes turned to Ranko as she descended the stairs, and Shirokuro got up and trotted over to nuzzle her hand. Ranko smiled and scratched her behind the ears.

"Are you feeling better, Ranko-chan?" Ryouga's mother was leaning out of the kitchen doorway, all concern.

"Much, thank you."

"Won't you have dinner before you go home? You're welcome to spend the night, too, if you like."

"I'd love to stay for dinner. You're very kind, but afterwards I really should go home and practice my violin. I have a recital next Tuesday evening, and I still need to work on it a bit more. Plus I haven't done my homework yet."

Aneha furrowed her brow. "Are you sure you're up to going home tonight? I'd hate to see you get sick again."

Ranko nodded. "I don't stay sick for long. I feel fine, really."

Aneha smiled in resignation. "Well, why don't you all come in and sit down, then? Dinner is ready."

They took their places at the table in the kitchen, Ranko sitting next to Ryouga. Ranko felt a little nervous; she had come over to see Shirokuro's puppies, not to meet and have dinner with Ryouga's parents. Though they seemed nice enough…

Ryouga's mother served everyone, and after a quick "Itadakimasu!" they began to eat.

Ranko thought of something. "I hope you won't think me rude, but I'm curious. Ryouga said you all have the same problem he does with your sense of direction. He wasn't expecting you to be here. I'm curious about what happened."

Ryouga and his parents looked at each other, and burst out laughing. His father stood, and walked over to a table under the telephone. He opened a drawer and pulled out two small boxes, and held them up.

"GX-750. Last year's model." He grinned, and Ranko giggled. "I just have to remember to take it with me. Forgot it once and didn't make it back for two months." He put the units away and returned to the table.

Ryouga's mother spoke up. "We were hoping Ryou-chan would find out about these little gadgets and come home. They've been a lifesaver for us." She beamed. "It's so wonderful to be a family again."

Ranko's smile remained, but the life went out of it, and she lowered her eyes. Ryouga gave a pointed look to his mother, and her face fell. "I'm sorry, Ranko-chan. Ryou-chan told us more about you while you were sleeping. I hope I didn't hurt your feelings."

Ranko looked up again, a small but genuine smile on her face. "There's no need to apologize. I'm happy for all of you. I know Ryouga's been lonely, living on the road all the time."

Youshi grinned. "He doesn't seem to be lonely any more. I don't think he stopped talking about you the whole time you were asleep."

Ryouga exclaimed "Dad!", and both teenagers blushed and looked down.

Aneha chimed in, "You're obviously a very special young lady, dear. I'm glad that you and Ryou-chan were able to overcome your history together." Ranko was blushing furiously.

"Ryou-chan told us all about your violin. I would love to hear you play! Would you mind if we came to your recital next Tuesday evening?"

Ranko perked up somewhat. "Of course not! I'd love for you to come."

"Ryouga tells us that your teachers think you are going to be a great violinist."

Ranko blushed again, and looked down. "I… I don't know… I do like it, though. Right now, I'm thinking very seriously of becoming a violinist, though I don't know if I would be great or not."

Aneha shook her head. "In my day, women rarely had careers. I'm glad younger women have the opportunity these days." She laughed. "I never thought my son would be a stay-at-home father, though."

Ranko stopped eating, holding her chopsticks in midair and staring at nothing in particular. Ryouga stared at his mother, and prayed silently, _Mom, please shut up._

"Well, I think it would be wonderful to have a daughter-in-law who was a famous violinist. I'm not one of these stuffy middle-aged ladies who would be offended by their daughter-in-law being successful." Ranko still hadn't moved a muscle. "You are a wonderful girl, dear. Ryouga's father and I are very impressed with you." Aneha was beaming.

Ranko spoke, her voice somewhat flat. "Thank you, Hibiki-sama. You're very kind."

"Please call me Mother, dear."

* * *

"We're married."

"Huh?" Ryouga was confused. He had been walking Ranko home, and she had been uncharacteristically silent up until now. He was a bit worried; he knew his mother had unnerved her.

"We're married. We haven't had a ceremony, you haven't even proposed to me, we're still only 16, but we're married. At least, as far as everyone else is concerned. You, your parents, my friends, even Akane and my mother. We haven't even gone on a second date yet, but we're married!"

Ryouga shook his head. "I'm not going to push you into anything."

"You don't have to! Everyone else is doing it for you. I'm sure they're already picking out dishtowels for us."

"Why is this bugging you so much? Let them think what they want, and we'll do what we want to."

She shook her head. "Don't you see? It's the pressure."

"Pressure?"

"It's just like the engagement to Akane. I thought we were just visiting my father's friends, and the next thing I knew I was engaged. I thought you and I were just going to try dating, and the next thing I knew we were practically engaged. Why does it have to be like this?"

Ryouga was getting seriously confused. "It doesn't have to be like anything."

"Oh, really? Then let's prove it. Let's take a break from each other. Let's try dating other people."

Ryouga stopped. "What?" he whispered.

Ranko swallowed. Suddenly, this didn't seem like such a great idea. "I said, let's try dating other people. If… if we're not already engaged, th-then that should be OK, right?"

Ryouga was staring at her. "I don't want to date anyone else. I love you. Not anyone else, you. I… I couldn't love anyone else." He swallowed. "Do… do you want to date other people?" He looked crushed.

Ranko's heart wrenched. She tried to fight down the feeling that she was making a horrible mistake. Something inside her was screaming for her to stop, to apologize, to tell him that she… that she… "I… I don't know. M-maybe…" Her eyes darted to and fro, avoiding his gaze. "For once, I want to feel like I have a _choice_."

Ryouga felt himself getting angry, and felt powerless to stop it. "You mean like when you had three fiancées? That kind of choice?" He regretted the words the instant he uttered them, and he watched, horrified, as surprise, shock, and pain played out across Ranko's face. He could see each distinct emotion take form in her expressive eyes. It was kind of like watching a train wreck in slow motion. And knowing you were the one who caused it.

Tears started to spill down Ranko's cheeks. "Do you think I _wanted_ that? They were all _girls_! I didn't want _any_ of them as fiancées! I couldn't tell any of them that because I didn't want to hurt their feelings, and… and because I couldn't admit to myself that I felt like a girl inside!" She shook her head slowly. "And… and you think that I…" She choked up. "Ryouga no baka!" she wailed, then turned and ran.

Ryouga sank to his knees, and watched her go. "You're right," he whispered. "Ryouga no baka."

* * *

End Chapter 13

Tuesday, September 12, 2000

**Copyright Notice**

The characters and stories of Ranma ½ are Copyright © Rumiko Takahashi, and are used here without permission or license.

No claims to the above copyright are made by the author of this work.

This work is for non-commercial use ONLY, and is produced for the enjoyment of fans only.

This work is the expression of the author and the depiction of the Ranma ½ characters herein are in no way represented to be a part of Ranma ½ as depicted by the original author and copyright holder(s).


	14. Chapter 14: Ranko

Genma's Daughter

By ClassicalGal

Original concept and parts of chapter 1 by Nesin Evets

Chapter 14: Ranko

* * *

Akane stood outside her sister's door, biting her lip. Ranko had rushed upstairs in tears the minute she had arrived home. No sounds had come out of her room for the past hour, though she was supposed to be practicing her violin. It didn't take a genius to know that something had happened with Ryouga. The question was, should she try to help, or give Ranko some privacy?

It wasn't a hard decision. Akane knocked on the door. "Sis? It's me."

There was a long pause, then, "Come in."

Akane slid the door open, then closed it behind her. Ranko was lying face down on the bed, her face in her pillow. She hadn't even changed out of her uniform.

Akane went over to sit next to her. "Do you want to talk about what happened?"

Ranko stiffened, then relaxed a bit. She spoke, her voice muffled by the pillow. "I… I freaked out."

"Over what?"

"His parents liked me."

Akane blinked. "Is that a problem?"

Ranko rolled over on her back; there were tears in her eyes, and it was clear they were not the first to be shed tonight by far. "Yes, it was a problem. They were just delighted with me. They made it very clear they were looking forward to having me as a daughter-in-law. They treated me like a member of the family. His mom told me to call her 'Mother.'" She scrunched her face up in pain, and the tears flowed more freely. "I… I couldn't take it, and… and I hurt him! I knew this was going to happen!"

"You hurt him?"

Ranko nodded. "I… I told him I wanted to take a break. That maybe we should date other people. He… he got this look on his face, this awful look. I felt like I was stabbing him in the back… He was so hurt…" She started to sob, and Akane pulled her upright and into an embrace.

After a minute, Ranko calmed down a little. "He… he said something stupid, because he was upset. It hurt, and I ran away, but… but it didn't hurt nearly as much as it did to hurt him."

She hugged herself and leaned forward, sitting on the edge of the bed, staring at the floor. "I've been dreading this since we started dating. Hurting him."

"Do you know what you want to do?"

"I… I think I do need a break, to… to think. Maybe… maybe I should just break it off here. If we got back together, and I hurt him again, I… I don't think I could bear it." She started to sniffle again. "But… but I… Oh, Kami-sama, I hope he's all right. I wonder what he's doing right now?"

Akane stared at Ranko for a long moment, then sighed. "Tomorrow at school may be rough. I have play practice into the evening, so I can't be here to help. You come home and talk to Kasumi if you need to, you hear me? Don't go off and cry by yourself. And your mom is coming for dinner; she should be able to help too." She took Ranko by the shoulders and shook her a little. "Don't try to keep this all inside and bear it all yourself, like you did as Ranma. You don't have to any more. You have a family who loves you."

Ranko nodded, her face still screwed up in pain.

"What are you going to do tonight?"

Ranko's eyes wandered over to her music stand and violin case. "I… I really ought to practice…"

"Maybe that will help get your mind off things. Besides, you want to wow them at the recital, right?" Ranko nodded again, and blew out her breath.

Akane stood and went to the door. "I'll come check up on you later." She went out and closed the door behind her.

She walked down the hall to her room, and went inside, pulling the door closed. She sat on the bed, put her head in her hands, and let out an enormous sigh. "Ranko no baka…"

She lifted her head as she heard Ranko begin to practice her recital piece. The playing seemed lifeless compared to what it had been the other evening when Ranko had played it for her family. After a minute or so, there was a mistake, and the playing stopped. It was a full minute before Ranko started playing again, and Akane pursed her lips in worry. Tuesday was not far off, and Ranko seemed to be going in the wrong direction…

The next day, Friday, Ranko moved through her school day like a robot. In class, she stared off into space, and was reprimanded for not paying attention. She didn't seem to hear when people spoke to her. By lunchtime, her friends were deeply concerned. As they were collecting their bentos, Sayuri turned to Ranko, who was still sitting at her desk. "Ranko-chan… aren't you coming?"

Ranko's eyes focused. "Huh? Oh… oh yeah. I'll be right there." She sat in the empty classroom for a minute, before she shook herself and headed off.

On the way to the cafeteria, she turned a corner and nearly collided with Ryouga, whose eyes widened in surprise. They stared at each other for a moment, and then, with a sad look on his face, he turned and walked away. She stared after the direction he had gone, and simply dissolved into tears; she had never felt such a black depression in all her life. She stood there, sobbing into her hands.

After a time, she collected herself and continued on to the table she usually shared with her friends. They watched as she sat there, staring at her bento without taking a bite. Akane had given them the gist of what had happened, but rather than try to cheer her up with empty platitudes, they thought it best to avoid the subject. What was there to say?

Shampoo tried to think of something to distract her friend. "Ranko, I'm really looking forward to hearing you play at the recital. Great-Grandmother and I enjoyed it when you played for us the other day."

Ranko looked up, and an abortive smile crossed her lips. "Thanks, Shampoo." She started staring off into space again. Her friends looked at each other.

Just then, Megumi walked up, looking as if she were about a foot off the ground. She was too preoccupied to notice the funereal air at the table. "Guys, you will never guess what just happened!" she bubbled. "Matsumoto-kun finally asked me out for tonight, Christmas Eve!" She sighed. "He's taking me to a fancy restaurant downtown! He's been planning it for weeks… I thought the baka had forgotten about it, but he said he wanted it to be a surprise. It'll be so romantic! I…" She trailed off, as she noticed the tears running down Ranko's face. _Uh oh…_

"Ummmm… but… enough about me." She sat down without another word.

Her friends watched as Ranko buried her face in her folded arms, her shoulders shaking slightly. Akane gently rubbed her back and whispered soothing words. Ranko never did eat her lunch.

* * *

Kasumi heard the front door open and close quickly, and waited for a call of "Tadaima!" which never came. She was just popping her head out the kitchen door to see who had come in when she caught sight of a flash of red hair streaking up the stairs, accompanied by the pounding of petite feet. A door opened and was slammed shut.

She sighed, and had turned to go back in the kitchen, when her ears caught the faint sound of sobs drifting down the stairs. She bit her lip; she was in the middle of making dinner. Her indecision lasted only a moment, however, and after turning off the stove, covering her pots and pans, and putting her ingredients back in the refrigerator, she headed upstairs.

She knocked on her little sister's door. "Ranko?" The crying abated, but there was no other response. Emboldened, Kasumi entered.

Ranko was once again face down on the bed. Kasumi went over, sat down, and took Ranko's hand. She gave it a tug.

"Ranko, dear…"

"What?" came the muffled voice.

"Don't cry up here by yourself. I want you to come downstairs with me. I'll make us some tea, and then you can tell me all about it, OK?"

Ranko turned over and slowly sat up. "O-OK…"

Kasumi put an arm around her, and squeezed. "Come on, imouto-chan."

Ranko nodded shakily, and they both stood. "Oneechan?"

"Mmmm?"

"Why don't you call me 'Ranko-chan' any more?"

Kasumi smiled a merry smile. "Now, why would I call you that? I don't call Akane 'Akane-chan', do I? That's not the way you speak to a member of your family."

Ranko felt the weight in her heart lessen, just a little bit. A tiny smile appeared on her face. "No, I guess not…" Kasumi grinned, and squeezed her again.

A few minutes later, they sat facing each other at the table. Ranko was sipping a cup of tea, and reflecting on how Kasumi's calm, cheerful demeanor and sympathetic nature could make any problem seem smaller.

With a little encouragement from her big sister, Ranko related what had happened. Kasumi listened, nodding and sipping on her tea from time to time. "So you feel like you need a break because it's too overwhelming, but you also feel like you're hurting him."

Ranko nodded. "He… he looked so hurt when I told him… and today, at school, he didn't even want to talk to me! He… he turned away when he saw me…" Tears were running down her cheeks again.

Kasumi regarded the redhead speculatively, and took another sip of tea, while Ranko reached over to a box of tissues and took one, dabbing at her eyes with it. "What exactly is it that you're afraid of? What is it that's so overwhelming to you?"

Ranko's mouth became a thin line. "He's the first boy I ever dated. We… we have a rocky history. I… I mean, am I just dating him because he's the first guy who asked me out? What if we shouldn't get married?"

Kasumi shook her head. "No one is saying you have to get married, even if people have that expectation."

"But… his parents… my friends…"

Kasumi smiled, but was there a tinge of… sadness? "Ranko, people want a happy ending, the traditional ending. They look at you two together, and of course they jump to that conclusion. But if things don't work out between the two of you, no one will think the worse of you for it. That kind of thing happens all the time. Relationships get broken off because they don't work out. It's part of life." She added softly, "Sometimes… they don't even get started."

She took another sip of tea, and looked unusually serious. "Besides, he's not the first boy who has asked you out, is he?"

Ranko nodded, surprised. "You're… you're right."

"Did you worry about how hurt Hirota-kun would be when you turned him down? Or that boy who asked you when you were at the beach?"

"N-no…"

"So why are you so worried about Ryouga-kun being hurt? Why is having hurt him upsetting you so much?" Kasumi tilted her head in inquiry.

Ranko didn't have an answer, and sat there for a while, lost in thought.

Kasumi studied the embarrassed girl. She upended her teacup to finish it, and leaned forward slightly. "Ranko, dear, waiting for the other shoe to drop can be a trap. You put part of your life on hold, waiting for certainty… and waiting. Sometimes, certainty doesn't come, and opportunity has slipped by you." She sighed. "And putting your life on hold is a sad thing; you're only young once. Believe me, I know."

Ranko was shocked. "O-oneechan?"

Kasumi smiled. "Please, don't mention this to Nabiki or Akane; I wouldn't want them to feel any more guilty than they already do. I chose to follow this path with my eyes wide open, and I have no regrets. My family needed someone, I was the eldest, and I knew Mother would rest easier. And in another couple of years, I can get back to my own life."

Her expression sobered. "But dear, you don't have my problem. You don't have an obligation holding you back, only your own doubts and uncertainties. Don't wait for them to go away on their own.

"You have to find out how you feel about Ryouga-kun. If you love him, then don't worry about where it will end up. If you do marry him eventually, what does it matter that there might be another man—or a hundred or a thousand—whom you also could have loved and married, as long as you _do_ love Ryouga-kun?" She poured herself another cup of tea, while Ranko sat there, deep in thought. Kasumi waited patiently for her, taking a sip from time to time.

"You know… Oneechan… I… I know I'm scared of the idea of getting married, especially to the first guy I date… it's such a huge commitment… but… but I also like the idea. I… I want to have a family…" she trailed off. "I had a dream about being a bride while I was sleeping at Ryouga's house yesterday. It… it started off nice, but it turned into a nightmare…"

Kasumi reached over and patted Ranko's hand. "You've got a weekend coming up. Try to take it easy. Practice for your recital, and think things over."

"But Ryouga… I hurt him…"

"Ranko, if Ryouga-kun truly loves you, a couple of days is not going to shake that. A love that can last through a lifetime of marriage can survive a couple of days after a fight." Kasumi blushed. "But you're right, too. It would be unkind to make him wait too long for an answer if he cares for you that much."

Ranko nodded, and smiled gratefully at Kasumi. "Thank you, Oneechan. Talking with you helped. It always does." She seemed struck by a thought. "You know, I used to think I was unlucky because my parents are estranged, because I didn't see my mother for so long. When I was at Ryouga's house, I was jealous that his family is together again." She blushed. "But I just realized, I've got something not many people have: I have two families. I still have my mother and my father, but I've also got three wonderful sisters in my other family." She beamed. "In some ways, I'm pretty lucky after all."

Kasumi smiled and nodded, her eyes suddenly a little wet, and squeezed Ranko's hand.

* * *

Ranko lowered her bow and sighed. She wasn't making horrible mistakes like she had the night of her fight with Ryouga, but the piece was not holding together like it had before. There was just something missing, and she couldn't figure out what it was. This had been going on since her talk with Kasumi yesterday.

Her mother, who had come for dinner the night before and stayed for the weekend, picked up on her mood. "What is it, dear?"

Ranko shook her head. "I… I'm missing something. It's just not perfect the way it was before. It's OK, but… but just OK. I… I guess I'm still distracted about Ryouga…"

Nodoka eyed her daughter carefully. "What are your thoughts about that?"

Ranko pursed her lips. "I… I guess I'm still scared of how fast things have been going. Suppose… suppose we're not right for each other? Suppose it's a mistake?"

Nodoka sighed. "There's no way to know that in advance, dear. You have to try it to see if it works. Have you?"

Ranko realized she was not going to get anywhere on her violin at the moment, and laid it down so she could join her mother on the sofa. "Well, yes… but every time marriage rears its head, I… I get spooked."

Nodoka shook her head. "Kasumi-chan, Ryouga-kun, and I have all told you that you don't have to make that decision now."

"I know… but…"

Nodoka waited, and Ranko eventually continued. "But somehow, I just feel like it _is_ an issue. Like I _am_ making that decision."

"Dear, you don't need to worry about it until you and he actually get ready to make a commitment. Why worry about it now?"

Ranko frowned. Why _was_ she worrying about this so much now? "I… I guess you're right, Mother. I mean, I could wind up marrying someone else entirely…" she trailed off.

Nodoka looked at her curiously. "Is something wrong, dear?"

Ranko looked terribly confused. "Just now… when I thought about marrying someone else… I…" Why had the idea bothered her so much? It had bothered her the day before, too, when Kasumi had mentioned it. The very idea filled her with dread. But she didn't know for certain that she was going to marry Ryouga, did she, so why…? She tried to imagine marrying someone else, someone who she would know with _certainty_ she loved deeply. All she felt was an awful emptiness in her heart. _If I did that, if I was with someone else, I… I…_

_I wouldn't be with __**him**__._ Suddenly her heart just about stopped.

Ryouga, who didn't cry out "You've made my life hell!", but instead called her his angel. Ryouga, whose face had lit up like a little boy's when he got his GPS receiver. Ryouga, who said he couldn't imagine a better way to spend his life than sharing it with her. Ryouga, who had made Miki laugh when everyone else had failed. Ryouga, who had been willing to spend a whole evening as a girl, just so he could be near her. Ryouga, in whom anger and depression had given way to love and caring. Ryouga, with his endearing fang-toothed grin. Ryouga, whose mere touch was enough to make her feel safe, like all was right with the world, whose embrace touched her deeply, whose strong arms had held her as they flew over rooftops…

Ryouga, without whom, she had just realized, she could not imagine spending her life. Suddenly, she knew why staying with Ryouga felt to her like a commitment to get married. Why staying with him felt like they already _were_ married.

She became aware of her surroundings again. "Mother… I… I have to go somewhere."

Nodoka nodded. "If you say so, dear. Call if you're going to be late for dinner."

Ranko nodded and hurried from the room, not noticing as her mother's face broke into an affectionate smile behind her.

* * *

_Crack!_

Ryouga finished letting out his breath and regarded the shattered cinder block fragments lying on the ground in his family's tiny garden. His gaze shifted to the remains of the dozen or so he'd destroyed already.

He'd considered using the Bakusai Tenketsu, but he didn't want to risk breaking a window with the explosion, and… and… damn it, it was too easy! He wanted to _break_ something, and _feel_ it break, not hit it with a finger and watch it explode.

He sighed. _First I turn into Kunou, and now I'm turning into Akane-san…_

He was getting another cinder block ready to destroy when his instincts kicked in. He backed up into his ready stance as a shadow flitted across him: the shadow of an intruder leaping down from above.

His eyes bugged out, and he eased his stance; it was Ranko. Or was it Ranma-chan? She was wearing her Chinese clothes, an outfit he hadn't seen since she had become Ranko again. He looked more closely and relaxed; it was Ranko after all. Ranma-chan wouldn't have been caught dead with her hair styled and cute little G-clef studs in her ears.

She was breathing heavily, as if from great exertion. "What's with the outfit?"

She tried to catch her breath. "I… I wanted to… get here in a hurry… and… and I didn't have… any other clothes that were… good for running… over rooftops." She paused a moment, still panting. "I guess I'm not… in as good shape as I used to be."

"Why were you in such a hurry?"

"I… I had to come here and tell you something."

Ryouga's heart sank. _Here it comes…_ "Yeah? What did you need to hurry to tell me?"

She didn't answer, but just examined him critically for a while. He was starting to feel terribly uneasy when suddenly she darted forward and slammed into him, pinning him against the wall of the house. She was no longer even close to fast enough to catch him unawares in combat, but his guard had been down. _Wh-what's going on? Is she attacking me?_

But she wasn't attacking him. She was just holding him pinned against the wall, her face buried in his chest. Ryouga couldn't figure out what was going on. Finally, just as he noticed that she was trembling, a small, frightened, slightly muffled voice came out. "Ryouga… I… I… I l-love you."

_No… she couldn't have just said…_ "Wh-what?"

"I… I love you, Ryouga. I don't want to date anyone else, because I love _you_. I know you're probably still mad at me for… for suggesting it, but… _urk!_" She was cut off by having the breath literally squeezed out of her. This was no gentle embrace; this was a death grip. _I… can't… breathe…_

Luckily, the pneumatic press only lasted a moment; it rapidly faded into Ryouga's gentle embrace. She sighed and pressed a little closer. They stayed that way for a minute, until Ranko was startled by the sounds of quiet sniffling.

She loosened her embrace and looked up; tears were running down Ryouga's cheeks. "What's wrong?"

He shook his head. "I… I thought I'd lost you. It's something I've been afraid of since I knew I loved you. I was afraid you wouldn't want to date me at all, and once you agreed to, I was afraid you wouldn't love me and would break it off." He took a deep breath. "You know how I told you I'd be happy having fallen in love with you, even if you didn't choose me?" Ranko nodded. "I lied. Not just to you, but to myself."

He drew her into his embrace again, and his voice was heavy. "I love you, too, Ranko. Th-thank you." They didn't say anything for a while.

Finally, her voice drifted up from his chest again, forlorn. "I'm sorry I hurt you. I'm sorry I made you mad. I… it's been driving me crazy the last two days. I'm so sorry."

He shook his head and rubbed her back as he held her. "I wasn't mad. What made you think that? Depressed, yes, but not mad."

She looked up in surprise. "But… at school yesterday…"

"I wasn't mad. You said you needed a break, some time off. I thought it was upsetting you to see me. I… I could never hurt you."

"Ryouga no baka," she said softly, and snuggled back into his chest.

"What made you realize you loved me?"

She looked up again. "I realized why staying with you felt like such a commitment. It wasn't because other people were forcing me into it. They were just making me think about it. It… it was because I already was committed, in my heart. Like you said, I couldn't imagine loving anyone else; I couldn't imagine living my life with anyone else. I tried, and… and I just couldn't.

"I… I realized that I felt like we were already married because… because…" she smiled tremulously, "in the most important way, we… we are." She put a hand gently over the center of his chest. "We're… we're married here. A ceremony doesn't tie us together. Our hearts do."

A broad, joyful smile spread over his face. He nodded, and cupped her cheek with his hand. He tilted his head down, and she tilted hers up, and as their eyes closed their lips came together. Ranko felt a swirl of emotions, but she had a name for it now: it was love, her love for Ryouga. She gave her love to him, and he gave her his love in return, and it tied them together. They shared that feeling as they kissed.

After a while, they separated, and just looked into each other's eyes.

"I'm sorry we missed Christmas Eve…"

She shook her head. "It's OK." Suddenly a mischievous look appeared in her eye. "I've got an idea. I want you to take me somewhere."

He nodded. "Name it. Where?"

She grinned. "It doesn't matter. I want you to do it with your GPS receiver turned off. Let's get lost together for a while." He grinned, too.

"Just bring him back by tonight, dear."

They both shrieked and jumped, and suddenly they were five feet apart and turning bright red.

"Mom! Dad! How long have you been standing there watching?"

Ryouga's father snorted. "Ever since the house shook when she slammed you into the wall, Son. It kinda grabbed our attention."

"Oh…" said Ranko in a small voice.

Ryouga grinned, and took her by the hand. "Come on, Ranma-chan." She pouted at the name. "I like your idea."

She followed him into the house, and he grabbed his coat and borrowed one of his mother's for her. They headed for the door.

"Children, will you be back for dinner?"

Ranko turned back to Aneha and smiled. "Yes, we will, Mother."

* * *

Ryouga held his head in his hands, his elbows on his desk and his fingers gripping his unruly black hair. He stared at the equations in his math textbook for the hundredth time. _I'm never going to get this… Kami-sama, making up for a couple of lost years is hard…_

He didn't notice that the music had stopped until he felt two slim arms wrap around his neck and a chin on his shoulder; her hair tickled his ear.

"What are you working on now?" Ranko asked as she hugged him from behind, peering at his textbook. "Trigonometry? Hmmm."

He took a brief moment to savor her embrace. "Yeah. Still struggling with it."

"It took me a while to get that, too."

He turned his head and they shared a quick kiss. "How about you? Done practicing?"

She let go and straightened up, and he swiveled his desk chair around to face her. She shook her head. "No, I just wanted to take a break, and see what you were doing." She smiled.

Ryouga smiled, too. This was about the tenth time in the last two hours that she had stopped practicing to see what he was doing. Not to mention the couple of times he had looked around and found her just watching him quietly, her chin propped up on her palms and a dreamy smile on her face.

He had loved her for so long in the face of her uncertainty and nervousness about her own feelings that having her show her love so unambiguously was exhilarating. He felt practically intoxicated. They were both having a little trouble focusing on what they were supposed to be doing.

"Are you going to be OK for your recital? It's the day after tomorrow."

She stuck her tongue out. "Slave driver." She smiled. "I think I'll be OK. Tell me what you think." She walked back over to his bed and picked up her violin and bow, closed her eyes for a long moment, then began to play.

He watched her, mesmerized. He knew she had years of training ahead of her, but at that moment she seemed ready to walk on stage right then and there. There was something about her playing that he couldn't put his finger on, but which clearly spoke of great things to come.

When she was done, he swallowed. "It… it sounded perfect to me."

She laughed. "Not quite yet. But I'm getting there." She blushed. "It's more than good enough for the recital already. What I'm doing right now is just for me, and… and for Kobayakawa-sensei and Murata-sensei. I want to see just how good I can make it."

He smiled. "You're working really hard. Have you decided to be a violinist?"

"I… I think so. There's one more thing I need to know." He looked at her quizzically. "I want to see how I feel trying to play this standing in front of eight hundred people." He turned a little pale, and nodded.

There was a knock at the door, and Aneha's voice. "Ranko-chan? There's a phone call for you. It's your mother."

Ranko put her violin down and hurried over to the door. She opened it, and Ryouga's mother was on the other side, holding a cordless phone. The older woman handed it to her with a smile. "Thank you, Mother." Ranko closed the door.

"Hello, Mother?… Oh, she did?… All right, I'll call her back… Yes… yes, we will. Bye."

Ranko hung up. "Kobuchizawa Noriko called. Oh, and Mother wanted to double-check that we would be at the Tendous for dinner tonight." Ryouga nodded.

She dialed a number, and waited. "Hello… it's Saotome Ranko… I'm fine, thank you, how are you?… She did?" Ranko smiled. She listened for a while, then her face fell. "Oh, Noriko-san, I'm so sorry. I would love to, but I have to practice for my recital Tuesday night… Yes… yes, after the recital is fine… When? The talent show starts at 7:30, but I don't know yet when my part will be… Yes, it's going to be long, there are lots of students participating… Yes, I think it would be too late for Miki-chan… Really? I'd be so happy if you could… I know… Yes, I'll come by after Tuesday… OK… I hope so… Goodbye."

She hung up and turned to Ryouga, who was trying to puzzle out what was going on. "She wanted to know if I could come over and play with Miki today. It seems Miki saw a picture of a redhead in one of Noriko's fashion magazines and got all excited." She giggled. "She said she's going to try to make it to my recital by herself, if her husband can make it home from work on time Tuesday night and take care of Miki."

Her face turned thoughtful. "I think everyone I know is going to be there…"

Ryouga got up and walked over to her, and wrapped his arms around her from behind. "Nervous?"

She sighed and leaned against him, and turned her face up to smile at him. "Right now, with you holding me? Impossible." He grinned.

Her smile turned sheepish. "We'll see how I feel when I'm standing up there on stage…"

* * *

Murata-sensei slowly plowed through the crowd collected outside the Fuurinkan auditorium, making his way towards the doors. It was going to be a long night, and the students and parents were waiting as long as possible before taking their seats. Murata-sensei wanted to get a good seat so that he could get some sense of how Ranko-chan was holding up during her performance. If that meant sitting through an evening of student talent productions, so be it.

He finally made it to the doors, and surveyed the auditorium. There! Eight rows back, a single seat. He started making his way down the aisle.

He was just passing row 15 when he heard a voice. "Sensei!" He stopped, and swiveled his head about in an attempt to track down whoever had called out to him—assuming it wasn't another teacher who had been the target.

His eyes stopped on a man waving from about ten seats in, and his face lit up in a grin. "Sada-san!" Sada-san pointed at an empty seat next to him.

Murata-sensei took a brief look at the stage; this was close enough. He started working his way past the people who were already seated, earning looks of resigned irritation. The whole time, he had a somewhat manic grin on his face, which served to irritate the people even more.

He was grinning because Sada-san was a music critic for the Asahi newspapers. A somewhat stuffy music critic. Tonight was definitely going to be fun.

He slid into the seat next to Sada-san and his wife, whom he had met once at a party. "Good evening, Sada-san, Ma'am." he nodded to the two of them. "What are you doing here?"

Sada-san looked him over carefully. "I could ask the same of you."

Murata-sensei grinned. "I asked first."

Sada-san rolled his eyes. Murata-sensei could be a little trying at times. "Our eldest son attends this school, and he's in the show tonight." He waved his hands. "Normally I wouldn't come to something like this, but…" his wife glared at him, "ummm, of course I wanted to see our boy on stage." His wife seemed mollified. Murata-sensei got the distinct impression that attending had been a subject of somewhat emotional debate.

"What will your son be doing?"

Sada-san shifted uncomfortably in the metal auditorium seat, and his wife glared at him again. "He and some of his friends have a… a rock band." Murata-sensei nodded sagely. Things were becoming clearer.

"How about you, Sensei? You don't live in this area, do you? Do you have a child attending here?"

The professor shook his head. "I live close to the University. I'm here to watch a student perform."

You could almost hear the little _beep… beep… beep_ as Sada-san's radar locked on. "Oh? A student?"

Murata-sensei grinned. "Yes. She's a student of one my own students, who teaches here."

"What instrument does she play?"

"Violin."

"Is she good?"

Murata-sensei studied his fingernails. "I think so."

Sada-san sat up a little straighter. "How long has she been studying?"

"About three and a half months."

_Click._ The radar turned off and retracted. Sada-san relaxed into his seat again. "Oh, a beginner, and high school age at that." He laughed. "You had me going there for a moment." He shook his head. "I have to say, Sensei, I'm surprised you would attend something like this for a beginning student." He turned back to face the stage.

Murata-sensei shrugged elaborately. "Oh, I don't know. I think she has some potential. Let me know what you think after you hear her."

"Mmm." Sada-san stifled a yawn.

Murata-sensei tried hard not to laugh.

* * *

Kobayakawa-sensei sighed and looked at her watch again. "Where is that girl?"

Hiroshi and Sayuri fidgeted nervously. Sayuri spoke up diffidently. "I'm sure she'll be here, Sensei. There's still a few minutes until the show starts, and we're not on for a while, right?"

Kobayakawa-sensei tried to relax. "You're right, Sayuri-chan, of course. I guess I'm just nervous." She turned away from the stage door to her two pupils, who were dressed smartly in rented gown and tuxedo. "How about you two? How are you feeling?"

Sayuri and Hiroshi looked at each other. Hiroshi shrugged. "I have low expectations, so I know I won't be disappointed."

Sensei chided him, "Hiroshi-kun!"

He chuckled. "Sorry, just kidding. I'm doing OK, I guess. I think I'm ready."

Sayuri nodded. "Me too, Sensei."

Kobayakawa-sensei opened her mouth to respond, but the stage door opened, and she swung about to look. Ranko was coming in with her mother. The older woman was carrying a garment bag, while Ranko carried her violin. Akane, already in costume as Juliet and standing with the other members of the drama club, excused herself and came over.

"Ranko-chan! Where have you been?" asked Sensei.

"At the salon."

Sensei looked a little closer. "Oh, you got your hair done!" Ranko's hair had been styled very nicely. Her red hair practically shone as it flowed over her shoulders, and it had been given a slight wave that made it seem fuller and more luxurious.

Ranko nodded, blushing. "It was Mother's idea. I'm sorry, it took longer than we thought."

Sensei laughed. "Doesn't it always?"

Akane added, "Your hair looks great, Sis!"

Nodoka inclined her head. "I'm sorry for the delay, Sensei."

Sensei shook her head. "It's all right. Do hurry up and get dressed, though, OK?" Ranko nodded, and she and her mother headed for the dressing rooms.

A few minutes later, Kimura-sensei, who had been pressed into service as the show director, came over to talk to Kobayakawa-sensei. "Sensei, you wanted to speak to me?"

Kobayakawa-sensei nodded. "I know you have us near the middle now, but I think it would be best if we were the last act."

Kimura-sensei looked surprised. "Usually people ask to be moved up, but if that's the way you want it, then there's certainly no problem. You're sure?" Kobayakawa-sensei nodded. "All right." Kimura-sensei made some scribbles on her clipboard. "Do you need more time to practice?"

"Errr… something like that, yes." Sayuri and Hiroshi looked at each other and grinned, and Akane smiled quietly.

Kimura-sensei nodded, and hurried off to deal with her next crisis.

Just then, the door to the dressing room opened, and Hiroshi's jaw dropped. Ranko was wearing a simple but elegant dark green formal gown that was nothing short of stunning on her. She was also wearing the green jade earrings Sayuri had given her, and they both offset the beautiful color of her hair. She was wearing just a trace of makeup.

She looked ready for a social function at the Imperial Palace. Or a photo shoot. Heads turned everywhere among the students waiting for their turn on stage. There were a couple of wolf-whistles, causing Ranko's cheeks to turn red.

Sensei beamed. "Ranko-chan, that gown looks absolutely wonderful on you."

The redhead smiled and said "Thank you, Sensei," while Nodoka and Akane glowed with quiet pride.

Sayuri nodded. "It must have cost you a fortune, Ranko-chan!"

Ranko and Akane looked at each other and laughed. "The only thing it cost me was my dignity." Sayuri looked at her curiously. "I was trying it on, just window shopping, really, and the saleslady dumped a cup of tea all over me. The store owner insisted on giving it to me." She shook her head. "I never dreamed I'd actually find an occasion to wear it."

Hiroshi was still standing there with his mouth open. Sayuri bopped him on the head. "You can reel in your tongue now!" Everyone laughed.

Hiroshi moaned and put his head in his hands. "Why didn't I ask her on a date when I had the chance?" Ranko smiled, but lowered her eyes.

Sayuri bopped him on the head again. "Behave yourself! You're embarrassing her."

Sensei was grinning at the shenanigans; it would help the students relax. "Hiroshi-kun, where's your clarinet?"

He looked around. "Ummm… I just put it down somewhere around here… Oh, over there." He walked over to a chair by the side of the wings, and picked it up, waving it like a baton. "Here."

Suddenly the lights on the stage went up, and Ranko clutched her violin a little tighter. "I guess we're finally getting started. Sensei, when are we on?"

Sensei smiled at her. "Our recital will be the last part of the program, Ranko-chan. Don't be nervous, I'm sure you'll do fine." The redhead nodded uncertainly.

Ranko looked around. "I wonder where Ryouga is? He said he'd meet me backstage before the show started."

Akane nodded. "He's usually pretty prompt these days."

* * *

At that moment, Hibiki Ryouga was engaged in an uncomfortably familiar activity: looking around and trying to figure out where he was. His GPS receiver had been silent for an awfully long time, this farm didn't look much like someplace in Tokyo, and he should have been at Fuurinkan by now. He pulled the unit out of his pocket to look at it. The display was blank.

"What the…?" He experimentally tried pushing a few buttons. Nothing. Finally, he tried pushing the power button again. The unit came on, and the display flickered briefly with the words "low battery," then went out again.

"Oh, shit…"

* * *

A particularly bad rock band had just finished their act, when Ranko glanced nervously at the clock on the wall. There was still a good hour to go before the recital portion of the program, but she was starting to get nervous. Ryouga was quite late. Where could he be?

Kimura-sensei spoke from a microphone at center stage. "Everyone, next will be the Fuurinkan High School drama club, performing Act I, Scene V from 'Romeo and Juliet' by William Shakespeare." There was polite applause.

"That's us!" said Akane. "Wish me luck, Sis."

Ranko hugged her sister and beamed. "You'll be great, I'm sure."

Akane held up two crossed fingers, and Ranko laughed. Akane went off to join the other actors who were waiting to go on stage.

Ranko scanned the throng of students in costume, wondering who was going to be Romeo. Ah, that looked like him… oh, her, that's right, they had decided Romeo would be played by a girl, to avoid the problems from the last attempt. The girl looked awfully familiar…

Suddenly, her jaw dropped. The girl wearing the Romeo costume… was Shampoo! Her hair was tied up tight in a bun. She and the other guests at the ball in this scene filed out and took their places, while the "Capulets," Akane included, waited for their cue.

The scene began, as one of the students, a servant, spoke: "Where's Potpan, that he helps not to take away?" Ranko watched, entranced. Shampoo, acting Shakespeare? The scene soon reached the encounter between Romeo and Juliet.

"Saints do not move, though grant for prayers' sake." said Juliet.

"Then move not, while my prayer's effect I take." answered Romeo, and they kissed.

Ranko had to admit this was going a lot better than the last time, and, Amazon warrior or not, Shampoo was doing a very credible Romeo. Her diction was flawless, and she wasn't a bad actress, either. The audience seemed to agree; there was an air of careful attention that hung over them as the scene progressed.

And Akane… Akane was finally doing something she had wanted to do for years: play Juliet. It might be only one scene, it might mean kissing Shampoo, but it was going very well, with no crazy disruptions. Akane glided gracefully around the stage and effortlessly through her lines. Ranko smiled for her sister.

* * *

Ryouga looked down the main street of the small village. There! A general store. They should have batteries.

An older man was just locking up when Ryouga walked up. A woman who looked to be his wife was washing down the sidewalk. "Excuse me, sir, I need to buy some batteries…"

The man turned around. "Sorry, son. I just closed."

Ryouga's voice took on a pleading tone. "Please, I need batteries for my GPS receiver. I'm lost, and I need it to get to my girlfriend's violin recital. I'm late already."

The man _tsked_ and looked irritated. "Look, son, save the tall tales for someone else. I told you, I'm closed."

"It's not a tall tale!"

The man eyed him skeptically. "Yeah, right."

Just then, Ryouga was caught by a stray splash from the hose the man's wife was using. She hurried over. "Oh, I'm so sorry…" her voice trailed off.

The couple's eyes bugged out as the young man they were talking to grew half a head shorter and somewhat more curvaceous.

Ryouga batted her eyelashes. "Please, sir?" she asked, using female speech in the cutest voice she could muster. "I would be ever so grateful!"

The couple stared at her for a moment. The man swallowed. "What size d'ya need?"

_Well, what do you know, it __**does**__ work_, Ryouga thought. She smiled prettily. "Thank you _so_ much! I need triple-A's. And do you have any hot water?"

* * *

Ranko watched nervously as Kimura-sensei announced, "And finally, as our last portion of tonight's program, three students from Kobayakawa-sensei's music class will be performing in recital. Kobayakawa-sensei?" Ranko's teacher walked on stage, and took the microphone.

"Good evening, everyone. First will be Kobayashi Sayuri on the piano, playing 'Fur Elise' by Ludwig van Beethoven."

Sayuri flashed a nervous smile at Ranko, who whispered "Ganbatte, ne…" Sayuri nodded and walked out on stage.

She bowed, and was just sitting down at the piano when the stage door opened, and Ryouga rushed in. He hurried over to where Ranko was standing.

She turned to face him. "There you are! You're just barely in time! What happened?"

He held up his GPS receiver. "Batteries died." He grinned sheepishly. She giggled, and some of her tension left her.

He did a double-take as he looked her over more carefully. "Wow. You look incredible." He put his hands on her shoulders. "You're so beautiful…" _And I'm so lucky…_

Suddenly her impending performance seemed far, far away. The feel of Ryouga's hands on her bare shoulders was doing things to her, and she looked up into his eyes with a tremulous smile. They just stood there for a while, looking at each other.

The sound of Sayuri's piano playing caught their attention, and they turned to watch. Akane emerged from the dressing rooms and joined them. She had removed her makeup and costume and was back in street clothes.

Ranko whispered "You were great, Sis!" They hugged briefly, then turned back to watch Sayuri play.

She soon finished, to a round of enthusiastic applause, and came back into the wings as Hiroshi was announced.

Sayuri found herself being embraced from either side, and gladly returned it. "That was beautiful, Sayuri-chan!" whispered Akane. Ranko nodded enthusiastically.

Sayuri was grinning; she was pleased she had been able to keep her cool, and hadn't made any serious mistakes. "Thanks, guys." _Even though I know everyone is going to forget about my performance in about five minutes…_

As Hiroshi played his clarinet, Ranko started to fidget nervously. Ryouga put an arm around her. "Hey. You can do it."

Akane nodded. "Think about everything you've done, all your talents, all the battles you've fought. You fought Cologne, who's over a century older than you, and held your own. You learned this piece in less than two months. You _can_ do it. It's just like a battle: you have to keep your control, stay focused. I know you have that control." She took Ranko's hand and squeezed it. "Remember, self-confidence, not arrogance." Ranko nodded slowly.

Ryouga leaned down and whispered in her ear. "Anyone who could kick my ass in a fight like you could can walk out on that stage and play in front of that crowd. Remember, Saotome Ranko doesn't lose." She grinned, and looked back up at him in gratitude. As Hiroshi took his bow, they shared a quick kiss.

Meanwhile, Sada-san shifted in his seat yet again. It seemed he was finally going to hear this beginning violin student—if he could stay awake.

Kobayakawa-sensei cleared her throat. "And now, our last student,"—there was a smattering of cheers from some of the students in the audience, quickly hushed by a disapproving murmur around them—"As I was saying, our last student, Saotome Ranko, will play the Gavotte en Rondeau of the Bach Partita for Solo Violin in E Major." Ranko gathered her violin and her courage, and started to walk out onto the stage. She passed Hiroshi on the way, and he winked and gave her a thumbs up. She smiled and winked back.

Sada-san suddenly sat up straight in his chair. "She's going to play _what_?" He turned to Murata-sensei. "You said she's only been studying the violin for three and a half months, didn't you?"

Murata-sensei grinned. "I did say that, yes."

Sada-san was about to start interrogating him in earnest when a hush fell over the room, and he turned his eyes to the stage. A stunning young red-headed woman in a beautiful gown was walking gracefully to the center. All eyes followed her in rapt attention; there was something about her that telegraphed that she belonged someplace other than a high school talent show. She reached the center, turned to face the audience, and bowed deeply.

Sada-san was sitting straight up in his seat, and the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. He didn't know if she could play worth a damn, but she sure had stage presence.

In the wings, Ryouga felt an eerie sense of deja vu; this was preternaturally parallel to the scene he had imagined for her New York debut. He could almost hear his nonexistent daughter sighing "Mommy is so pretty, isn't she, Daddy?" He nodded and whispered "She sure is…", and Akane, standing next to him, wondered why.

Ranko looked out over the sea of people. She wrenched her attention away from their expectant faces, and closed her eyes. Slowly, using a dozen years of training, she found her center, and her calm. When she was at peace, her music was there waiting for her; she raised her violin to her chin, and began.

With the first few notes, the room descended from a hush into total silence; everyone was focused on the girl, her violin, and the music she was playing. They watched her arms fly and her body sway, they watched her emotions play across her face, but most of all they listened. There were a few present who could tell just how talented Ranko was, but everyone in the room knew something special was happening.

Sada-san sat on the edge of his seat, electrified, the torpor of a few moments earlier completely forgotten. His jaw hung slightly open. Murata-sensei wished briefly that he could see the expression on Sada-san's face, then turned his full attention back to Ranko's performance.

While everyone's attention was focused on her, Ranko had no thought for anything but her music. This music was so beautiful… and she, she had the ability to see that beauty and bring it forth: a profound gift. She was beyond merely getting the notes right; now, she was striving to bring the piece to life, to express her own emotions and those of the long-dead composer to the fullest, to make this performance as moving and as beautiful as it could possibly be.

When, after three minutes or so, she came to the end, she stood there, her bow still raised to her violin. Slowly, she came back to the world, and finally lowered her instrument.

Only then was she jolted back to full awareness, as a wave of applause swept the room like a sudden thunderstorm, crashing over her. Ranko stared in shock as row after row of people surged to their feet, clapping furiously. Cries of "Brava!" could be heard coming from here and there. Their faces were filled with joy and appreciation. She gazed in wonder over all of these people, who were applauding… her.

_They… they heard it, too_, she thought. _They heard the beauty that I heard… They felt what I felt._ A wonderful feeling started to spread throughout her. _And… and I didn't even remember they were there… I wasn't nervous. As long as I love the music and see the beauty in it, having an audience won't bother me; it just makes it even better, because they can love it and see the beauty, too…_ The Art her father had taught her was a solitary art; this Art was an art she could share with everyone.

Ranko would always remember that moment, the moment she knew she was going to be a violinist.

Kobayakawa-sensei came up behind her and whispered in her ear. "You need to acknowledge the audience, dear." Ranko bowed, which sent the audience into even greater paroxysms of applause.

Yuka came up to the stage with a bouquet of flowers and a huge smile on her face. Ranko came to the edge of the stage and leaned down to accept it, tears in her eyes, grasping Yuka's hand and squeezing it for a few seconds. She stood up, holding her violin and bow in one hand and the bouquet cradled in the other arm, looking more than a little lost.

Again at Sensei's prodding, she left the stage, only to return at the audience's insistence for a curtain call, where she bowed again. After she left for the second time, the applause finally started to die down, and the audience started to move towards the exits, buzzing with excitement.

Sada-san turned to Murata-sensei. "Sensei… you… you have to introduce me to her!"

Murata-sensei was looking like the cat who ate the canary. "Oh, I don't know, Sada-san. She's just a beginner, after all. She's only been playing for three and a half months. Are you sure you want to meet her?"

Sada-san's wife started to snicker, and a sour look came over his face. "You enjoyed this, didn't you?"

Murata-sensei put his hand to his chest, all injured innocence. "Who, me? Would I do something like that?"

"Yes," replied Sada-san, crossly.

* * *

In the wings, Ranko was feeling slightly overwhelmed by the mob of well-wishers who had gathered around her. Not just the students who had already been there, but members of the audience who had come backstage to compliment her. Kobuchizawa Noriko had been among them, apologizing that she couldn't stay because she had to rush back home; her husband was having trouble getting Miki to sleep. Cologne and Shampoo had come and gone, the two girls trading compliments. Cologne had said nothing, but hadn't needed to; the look on her face was enough.

Ranko had had a few scant moments of congratulation with her friends and family before the crowd had started to grow. Still, at the moment, she was very, very happy. She had an arm each from Akane and her mother around her, with Ryouga smiling proudly at her and waiting his turn. As the crowd began to disperse, they were joined by her father, Souun, Kasumi, and Nabiki, followed shortly by Murata-sensei, and a man whom she didn't know. Ryouga had spotted his parents in the audience, but it was understandable that it was taking them a while to find their way backstage.

Kasumi was dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief. "Ranko, that was so wonderful. I'm so happy for you." She sniffled. "You too, Akane. I'm so glad your dream finally came true the way you wanted it to." Akane nodded, all smiles.

Nabiki just stood there, smiling quietly. She seldom admitted it, but she was fiercely loyal to her family, and seeing them happy made her happy. And that was not the only reason she was smiling…

Ranko's eyes found her father's, and she bit her lip. He had a serious, enigmatic expression on his face. They regarded each other for a long moment.

Finally, he spoke. "Well, child? Have you decided which Art you will follow?"

Ranko paled, and looked down. She nodded her head. "Yes, Father. I want to be a violinist. I… I'm sorry…"

She felt his hand on her shoulder, and his other hand gently lifted her chin to look at him. She was shocked to find that he was smiling.

"Don't be sorry. You made me very proud tonight." His smile faded. "I'm only sad that I can no longer be the one to train you. I will have to leave that to others, now."

She wrapped her arms around him. "I'll never forget what you taught me, Father. I'll enjoy working with Kobayakawa-sensei, but I'll miss training with you."

Kobayakawa-sensei shook her head. "Ranko-chan, I'm afraid you won't be working with me much longer, either. Very soon, you'll reach the point where I won't have much left to teach you. I work with beginning students. You'll need to work with someone who can take you beyond that."

Ranko's eyes turned to Murata-sensei. "Sensei? I want to come study under you, but… but I want to finish high school, first. What should I do?"

Murata-sensei grinned. "I'm sure we can work something out. If you can manage to come to the University one afternoon a week, I can arrange instruction for you. It would be better if you could spend more time on it, but I think it's wise of you to finish high school."

Kobayakawa-sensei added, "I'll speak to the Fuurinkan administration about it, Ranko-chan. It shouldn't be a problem. I might even talk them into two afternoons a week."

Genma turned to Murata-sensei, and bowed formally and deeply. "In that case, Sensei, I entrust her to your hands. Please, train her well."

Murata-sensei's face became uncharacteristically serious, and he bowed as well. "I will, Sensei. You may rest easy." He straightened up. "Thank you for training her and bringing her to me. You should be very proud."

Ranko felt something she hadn't felt in a long time: pride in her father. It was a good feeling. She smiled up at him. "Yes, thank you, Father." He smiled back at her, and they embraced again. Souun was nodding and smiling.

Nodoka bit her lip and looked down, tears in her eyes, and thought, _Genma, sometimes you remind me why I married you…_

They released each other, and Ryouga sidled up. "My turn. I've waited long enough." He wrapped an arm around her, and she gladly leaned into him.

Sada-san nudged Murata-sensei. "Oh, that's right. Ranko-chan, there's someone I'd like to introduce to you. This is Sada Toshihiro."

Ranko extracted herself from Ryouga's embrace momentarily and bowed politely. "Pleased to meet you, Sada-san. My name is Saotome Ranko."

"Sada-san writes about music for the Asahi newspapers," added Murata-sensei. Ranko paled.

"It's a real pleasure to meet you, Saotome-san. I was here as a parent tonight, but I must say I feel very lucky that I got to hear you play. I'm looking forward to writing about you."

Ranko boggled. "But… but Sada-san… I… I mean, I'm just starting out…"

Sada-san laughed. "I don't mean now, Saotome-san. In a few years, when you start to perform professionally. I was glad to hear that you've decided to pursue the violin." He grinned. "Years from now, I'll be able to say I heard your first public performance." He shook his head. "I wish I had a recording of it."

There was the sound of someone's throat being cleared, and all eyes turned to Nabiki. "Actually, Sada-san… I'm Ranko's older sister, and I think I may be able to help."

Ranko blinked at Nabiki in curiosity. "Oneechan?"

Sada-san raised an eyebrow. "I see, Miss…?"

"Tendou Nabiki."

Sada-san looked confused. "Tendou? I thought you said you were her older sister?"

Ranko spoke up. "Well… our families are very close…"

Sada-san smiled. "I think I understand. So how can you help, Tendou-san?"

Nabiki smiled, reached into a pocket, and pulled out a cassette tape, which she held out to Sada-san. "10,000 yen, and it's yours."

Everyone in the family stared at her in shock. "O… Oneechan? Did… did you have a cassette recorder or something?"

Nabiki looked aghast. "A _cassette recorder_? Of _course_ not! What do you take me for?" She shook her head and _tsked_. "I had the auditorium multi-miked, and I have all the tracks on reel-to-reel tape." She snorted. "A cassette recorder, indeed." She sighed. "I tried to get it recorded digitally, but I couldn't swing the equipment… And it would have been better in a studio…"

Ranko's head was spinning. "But Oneechan, why?"

"You're going to be attending Murata-sensei's university in a couple of years, and we're going to have to pay tuition. I thought I might be able to start saving up for it by selling tapes and discs of your performance to the people who attended tonight, and maybe to others through word of mouth. You have to admit it's better than selling photos of you and Akane." Ranko couldn't disagree with that.

Sada-san was eyeing the cassette tape. "And why should I pay 10,000 yen for three minutes of music? That's outrageous!"

Nabiki smiled. "Because it's the first copy of Saotome Ranko's first recording. It might be worth something in a few years. Do you want it or not?"

Sada-san stared for a few moments more, then shook his head and pulled out his wallet. "Still a student, and she already has an agent. Incredible." Everyone laughed. Sada-san handed a bill to Nabiki, and she handed him the tape.

Nabiki inclined her head. "Thank you, Sada-san. It's been a pleasure doing business with you."

Sada-san shook his head in wonder, and excused himself for the evening.

Murata-sensei was chuckling and shaking his head as well. He hadn't enjoyed himself this much in a long time. Sada-san needed more of a sense of humor; he was far too easy to tease. He regained his composure.

"So, Ranko-chan, you've decided to become a violinist, but are you going to be a fox or a hedgehog?" Everyone else looked confused.

Ranko smiled. "Maybe it will be too hard, Sensei, but I want both. I want a family, but I also want to be the best violinist I can possibly be." She hugged Ryouga, and smiled up at him, and Ryouga smiled back. "I have some people who are willing to help me try."

Murata-sensei shook his head. "It _is_ hard, Ranko-chan. Like I said, I haven't figured that one out myself. But some people do manage it."

"Then maybe I can, too." She looked up at Ryouga again and grinned a mischievous grin. "After all, Saotome Ranko doesn't lose."

It was Murata-sensei's turn to look confused, as Ranko's family burst into laughter.

Genma felt his spirits lift, as he watched his daughter and the boy she loved share a kiss. When he had returned to the Tendou Dojo, he had felt that his daughter's resurrection had come at a heavy price: the loss of Ranma. Ranko had seemed a different person to him; it was as if Ranma had died and been replaced by someone else. He had grieved for his son.

Now, he saw things differently. It had been the shock of seeing her behave like a girl, seeing that she had a girl's feelings and cared about the things most girls cared about, that had made him think she wasn't Ranma. But how could Ranma possibly have shown any of that part of himself when he was trying so hard to be a boy?

It had been so many years, he was ashamed to admit, that he had forgotten his daughter, and had mistaken her acting at being a boy for who she really was. Ranko had not replaced Ranma; Ranma had been Ranko all along. She had never stopped being his daughter, no matter what she looked like.

He mused briefly on how things might have been had he had a son, a real son named Ranma. It could have been nice, but he didn't want to dwell on what might have been. He was happy he had a daughter, and that is what he wanted her to be: herself, and not anyone else. And she seemed well on the way, he noted with deep satisfaction, to being exactly that.

* * *

The End

Saturday, September 9, 2000

**Copyright Notice**

The characters and stories of Ranma ½ are Copyright © Rumiko Takahashi, and are used here without permission or license.

No claims to the above copyright are made by the author of this work.

This work is for non-commercial use ONLY, and is produced for the enjoyment of fans only.

This work is the expression of the author and the depiction of the Ranma ½ characters herein are in no way represented to be a part of Ranma ½ as depicted by the original author and copyright holder(s).


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